COLUMBIA, S.C. (Nov. 16, 2005) -- A doctor accused in a television report of writing illegal steroid prescriptions for three former Carolina Panthers has been indicted on 14 additional charges.
A federal grand jury added three counts of distributing anabolic steroids and 11 counts of distributing human growth hormone to the 29 other similar counts against Dr. James Shortt.
Shortt also has been charged with conspiracy, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
A person familiar with the indictments has said Shortt gave the drugs to members of the Carolina Panthers, bodybuilders and at least one police officer.
A CBS News report in March identified center Jeff Mitchell, tackle Todd Steussie and punter Todd Sauerbrun as having filled steroid prescriptions written by Shortt. Several other former Panthers also have been named as Shortt's patients in subsequent media reports.
The 59-year-old Shortt also faces a state investigation in the death of a woman given intravenous hydrogen peroxide to treat her multiple sclerosis.
The South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners suspended Shortt's medical license in April. According to the board's suspension order, Shortt prescribed the steroid testosterone to four unnamed male patients "in doses and frequencies that were extremely unlikely to have been prescribed with any legitimate medical justification."
