Franklin Curtis Witter, 46, of Marysville pleaded guilty in federal court last year to conspiracy to import and distribute anabolic steroids and opiate-based prescription pain medicine, such as oxycodone.

Witter acknowledged he had traveled to Southern California several dozen times over a period of years to buy the drugs that had been imported from Tijuana, Mexico, and were delivered to his hotel. He denied, however, that he had ever crossed the border and purchased the drugs himself, as had been charged originally.

U.S. District Court Judge Thomas S. Zilly followed the recommendation of prosecutors in sentencing Witter to 2 ½ years. Zilly said the quantity of drugs, the length of time over which they were sold and the number of people affected influenced his decision.

"I think this is the minimum sentence given the offense," Zilly said.

According to court documents, Witter and Edward John Suden, 45, of Edmonds sold anabolic steroids — such as methandrostenolone, testosterone, stanozolol and trenbolone — as well as oxycodone and other prescription painkillers throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Many of the steroids were sold at gyms and fitness centers, including some in King and Snohomish counties, through personal trainers, prosecutors claimed.

Prosecutors said they estimated, by conservative standards, that Witter sold more than 46,000 oxycodone tablets.

Suden pleaded guilty in July 2005 and was sentenced to three years of probation.

In addition to the prison term, Zilly sentenced Witter to three years of supervised probation and recommended that he attend a 500-hour drug-treatment program while in prison.

Witter had asked the judge for the opportunity to get treatment, saying he hoped to use his time behind bars to address addictions that fueled the crime.

Christine Clarridge: 206-464-8983 or cclarridge@seattletimes.com

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