Aurora steroid dealer sentenced to prison

A 25-year-old Aurora man was given a two-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to federal drug conspiracy and money laundering charges related to a steroid manufacturing and distribution operation he ran through an illicit mail-order business.

Christopher C. Hickson was also ordered to pay a $100,000 fine during his Monday sentencing.

Prosecutors said Hickson would order bulk powders from a Chinese distributor that contained Stanozolol, a steroid classified as a controlled substance. Hickson would use the powder to produce vials of liquid steroids, pills and capsules and sell them to more than 100 customers throughout North America.

In October 2013, federal agents seized a package containing 436 grams of Stanozolol sent to Hickson's residence. A little more than a year later, agents raided his home and found thousands of vials of the steroids and hundreds of pills, according to court records.

The case against Hickson was part of the federal government's "Operation Cyber Juice" investigation targeting the illegal importing of steroids.

Hickson must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence.