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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Athlete faces steroid charges

Shipment of the drugs seized by police

Kristin M. Kraemer Tri-City Herald

A powerlifter who set a benchpressing world record in Kennewick now faces criminal charges for delivering steroids.

Police seized at least 84 vials of steroids and seven packets of steroid chemicals that allegedly belonged to Ryan Shawn Kennelly. The discovery was made after federal postal inspectors tracked a shipment of steroids to a Kennewick apartment connected to him.

Kennelly, 36, pleaded innocent in Benton County Superior Court to possession with intent to manufacture or deliver anabolic steroids. His trial is Feb. 14.

When he was arrested Dec. 17, the Moses Lake man who calls himself “The Bench Monster” had similar charges in Grant County involving marijuana and steroids, according to authorities.

His court-appointed attorney, Kevin Holt, was not in this week and couldn’t be reached.

Kennelly is a 1992 graduate of Kamiakin High School in Kennewick. He has been lifting for 16 years and on Nov. 8, 2008, set a World Powerlifting Organization world record for pressing 1,075 pounds during the Pride Powerlifting Strength Wars competition at a Kennewick gym.

In an interview with the Tri-City Herald in December 2009, Kennelly said he has made a living out of redefining the sport of benchpressing. He said he has written a book and has videos on the subject.

“No one in the world can do what I do,” he said at the time. “I’ve studied the art form and made it easier.”

He said that includes using more than just the chest to move an impressive amount of weight, incorporating the shoulders, triceps, biceps, back and legs into a lift.

“I don’t want to do anything else,” Kennelly told the Herald in 2009. “I started fishing again and I enjoy that, but I don’t drink and I don’t party. I have a small circle of friends with no surprises. I’m No. 1 in the world because I didn’t go down that path.”