Search of Homes Yields No Drugs in School Steroid Case

Carlsbad police Tuesday searched a house owned by the father of the suspect in an alleged high school steroid-peddling operation, but apparently found no evidence of the drug.

Four narcotics detectives kicked down the doors of the main house and of two cottages behind the house, said the father of Gregory Thomas Tirona, who asked that his first name not be used. No one was home at the time, but the father, visibly outraged, said police didn’t have to kick down doors.

Tirona, a teacher’s aide and volunteer basketball coach at Carlsbad High School, has been the subject of an investigation by the school district and police since May 3, Lt. Don Lewis said.

Students Came Forward

Police are investigating allegations that Tirona, 31, sold anabolic steroids to four athletes at the high school, Lewis said. The students came forward about two weeks ago and claimed they had purchased the illegal substance from Tirona.

No charges have been filed against Tirona, who remains on paid administrative leave from his position as a teacher’s aide, a job he has held since 1985. He also was a volunteer girls’ basketball coach this year.

Tirona’s father said his son did not live at the house, in the 3400 block of Valley Street, but used it as a place to have his mail delivered.

Detectives at the house during the search said Tirona’s whereabouts were unknown Tuesday.

The father said he came home from work at 4:30 p.m. and was shocked to find four plainclothes detectives scouring the main house and dwellings in the back after kicking down the front door, which was secured by a dead-bolt lock. Detectives also searched the car of the father’s younger son, who lives in one of the cottages.

‘Lamest Excuse I’ve Heard’

“They said they didn’t know if they would encounter a gang or someone else,” the father said. “That excuse that they didn’t know what they were going to face is the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard.”

According to the search warrant, detectives seized five items: a tape from the father’s telephone answering machine, a bottle of codeine, a marijuana cigarette from the car of Tirona’s younger brother and two bottles of unknown medication prescribed to Gregory Tirona.

The father said the medication may have been antibiotics.

“Why would a doctor prescribe steroids for him?” he said, adding that he had spoken with his son Tuesday morning and was convinced of his innocence after discussing the allegations.

“We had a talk, and he said that he didn’t do it, whatever they suspected him of doing.”

Police, meanwhile, are releasing little information on the investigation, except to say that they have interviewed people involved. Detectives also seized documents Tuesday, apparently related to Tirona, from the offices of the Carlsbad Unified School District, Lewis said.

As many as four athletes had bought anabolic steroids off campus grounds, said Wayne Rice, Carlsbad High’s athletic director. Rice said only one of the athletes was a starter in one of the 20 sports at the school.