MUDDY CREEK TWP — A hearing is pending for a suspected steroids dealer accused of illegally selling performance-enhancing drugs in Butler and Allegheny counties.

State narcotics agents seized several types of anabolic steroids and more than $70,000 linked to Morgan J. Rice, 25, of Carnegie, Allegheny County, following an undercover operation earlier this year, according to court documents.

Rice was arrested Nov. 10 and charged with nine felony counts of possessing and trafficking steroids popular among bodybuilders and athletes.

A preliminary hearing is Jan. 20 before District Judge-elect Bill O'Donnell in Slippery Rock. Rice is free on $10,000 unsecured bail.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics targeted Rice in a sting operation during which undercover agents bought steroids from him in June and August, investigators said.

The purported controlled drug buys included:

• Four vials of testosterone enanthate, one vial of nandrolone decanote and 72 capsules of dianabol steroids at his home on June 11.

• Three vials of testosterone enanthate and two vials of trenbolone acetate at his home June 17.

• Four vials of testosterone enanthate, threes vials of nandrolone decanote and two vials of trenbolone acetate at the Pilot gas station on Route 422 in Muddy Creek Township on June 24.

• Four vials of testosterone enanthate, three vials of nandrolone decanote and two vials of trenbolone acetate at the Market District parking lot in Robinson Township, Allegheny County.

Agents on Aug. 5 obtained a search warrant for Rice's house where they confiscated “numerous types” of steroids, liquids and powders used to manufacture steroids, a loaded handgun and $3,721 in currency, documents said.

Investigators said agents later went to the home of the defendant's girlfriend, where a consent search turned up a gun case containing $71,520 in currency, including $5,040 in official funds used in the alleged drug buys.