Final word on DNPguru

Guilty Plea In Net Drug Sale


By Bob Kessler
STAFF WRITER

June 29, 2002


An Indiana man has pleaded guilty to selling a banned weight-loss drug on the Internet, which was linked to the death of a Baldwin man.

Sean Zhang, 25, of Bloomington, Ind., entered his plea to one count of mail fraud on Tuesday before the start of his trial in Federal District Court in Central Islip on multiple charges of fraud and selling a misbranded drug, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Baker.

Zhang had been charged under federal laws regulating the sale of food and drugs because there was no proof he was aware the drug - DNP - would cause the death last year of Erick Perrin, 22, officials said.

Perrin had dropped out of Cornell and became obsessed with body building, his parents said. DNP, or dinitrophenol, has been heralded as a weight-loss drug that has been banned for human use since the 1930s because of its toxicity.

Perrin purchased the drug from Zhang through an encrypted Internet chat room that is frequented by bodybuilders who want to obtain illegal drugs, officials said.

Zhang faces 18 to 24 months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines, but prosecutor Baker said he intends to ask for a greater sentence when the Indiana man is sentenced because of Perrin's death. Prosecutors are allowed to seek a greater sentence if they believe the federal guidelines do not take into account the seriousness of the crime.

Zhang's attorney, Stuart Grossman, declined to comment on the plea, but said he was still investigating whether there is clear evidence that the DNP caused Perrin's death.
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No ratting involved but he had to take a deal because the feds pulled up some hard evidence off of a board he was on before that hurt his case - they were going to drop the whole case before that - someone tipped them to it tho and they went digging in the right place appearantly.

And what board are we speaking of? Sorry, but I've never heard of the guy.

Depending on his criminal history (If he has no priors) he'll most likely get the minimum 18 mo. Don't get me wrong it definately sucks but he'll be O.K.

xxxl83

if you consider at least a year in jail, even with "good time" OK :confused: :rolleyes:

It sucks totally...no two ways about it. It just sucks. :(

I'm fimilar with the law.

He's facing 24-36 months, he'll do about 90-120 days if that.

The rest of the time will be held over his head, he will not do a full 24 months unless he has a criminal past.

P.S.
Does he have anymore of that shit? sounds like it really burns the fat fast! :P

Cycleon,

Yeah a possible year in jail is O.K.

Don't get me wrong I'm not for putting this kid away nor do I agree with the drug laws in this country but, thats the way the system works and I'm sure this kid was well aware of it. Like the saying goes "don't do the crime if you can't do the time."

I have been where this kid is going. Yes for drug sales, and for a hell of alot more time than what this kid is looking at.
So yeah he'll be O.K.


xxxl83

it's unfortunate for both DnpGuru and the "victims" family, personally im not sure what to think. This prolly gonna sound bad, but i feel more for DNP and wish him the best of luck. As for the victim, if what i've read is true then he got what was coming to him.