This Week in Crime: Reston Doc Snared in Steroids Bust, and E-Mail Rumors About the 'East Coast Rapist'

A Reston doctor with ties to the Washington Capitals has been arrested on steroids charges.

Investigators interviewed several Washington Capitals players Tuesday after a chiropractor with ties to the Capitals and Washington Nationals was arrested at his home in Reston and charged with obtaining steroids and other illegal performance-enhancing drugs from an alleged steroids dealer in Lakeland, Fla.

Douglas Owen Nagel, who has treated several Capitals players and promoted himself as the team chiropractor, is being charged with purchasing steroids for at least a year from Richard "Andy" Thomas, who is awaiting federal sentencing in Florida on a variety of steroids possession and distribution charges. Investigators have found no "conclusive evidence or proof" that Nagel distributed steroids to any professional athletes, according to Polk County (Fla.) Sheriff Grady Judd.

In an interview with Polk County detectives last Sept. 28, Nagel, who claims on his Web site to have competed in national bodybuilding qualifying events, said the steroids he ordered from Thomas were for personal use and not provided to any athletes, but the package weight of two of the shipments -- 14 and 9 ounces -- indicated quantities large enough for distribution, according to Judd. Judd said the packages contained nandrolone and testosterone.

After Nagel was arrested Tuesday, two Polk County investigators visited Kettler Capitals Iceplex, accompanied by at least one member of the U.S. Marshal's Office, and interviewed Capitals head athletic trainer Greg Smith and three players who had been treated by Nagel, individuals with direct knowledge of the investigation said on condition of anonymity. Forwards Matt Bradley and Eric Fehr and defenseman Shaone Morrisonn were interviewed, the individuals said.

Judd, who did not confirm the identities of the players interviewed, said no Nationals were being interviewed because Nagel's connection to the baseball team seemed more tenuous.

Nagel's office, which is located in the same building that houses the Capitals' front office and practice facility in Arlington, was closed for business Tuesday, but a sign on the glass door read "Dr. Doug Nagel Chiropractor, Washington Capitals."

The Capitals quickly issued a statement disavowing any official connection to Nagel, while acknowledging several players had visited him for "standard chiropractic services."

Meanwhile, e-mails are circulating around Reston alleging that the man believed to be involved in several suspicious incidents in South Reston two weekends ago may be the same person as the 13-year fugitive from justice known as the "East Coast Rapist," who had coincidentally been profiled in the Washington Post at around the same time. Here's the key part of one such e-mail:

The police officer called in the detective who is handling this case (the one who contributed to the Washington Post article), and explained to her the magnitude of the situation. My mom's description of the suspect (African-American, 5'11", 200 lbs, stocky build, broad face, no facial hair, wearing a blue hoodie), as well as her account of how it happened (man spots his victim, disappears in another direction, then suddenly reappears behind his victim), all match the East Coast Rapist's description and M.O., as well as the other sightings and near-attacks that have been experienced in our area within the past week.

Please forward this on to anyone you know in the area (particularly women) who walk their dog, go on runs, etc. Please encourage them not to go on the paths by themselves, and to use the main roads if they are by themselves. Apparently this rapist has been spotted all over the Northern Virginia area in recent weeks so he is not just isolated to Reston.

Police have said they are taking the incidents seriously but have not made a public statement linking the incidents in Reston to the East Coast Rapist.