San Francisco – Barry Bonds’ personal trainer was on his way back to jail Monday after being held in contempt of court for refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating the Giants slugger.
Greg Anderson could remain behind bars for months or more while the grand jury investigates Bonds for perjury and other charges.
Anderson, who has appeared five times before two federal grand juries without answering pertinent questions, was held in contempt of court for two weeks last month but was released when that grand jury’s term expired.
Attorneys for Anderson told U.S. District Judge William Alsup on Monday that testifying before the grand jury would violate a deal struck last December to plead guilty. They say Anderson specifically stated he would not cooperate with the government.
He served three months in prison and three months of home detention after pleading guilty to steroid distribution and money laundering in the investigation of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, which allegedly supplied Bonds and other athletes with performance-enhancing drugs.
The trainer has refused to say whether he gave Bonds steroids.
Bonds told a different grand jury in 2003 that he did not knowingly use steroids and that Anderson gave him flaxseed oil and arthritic balm.
Authorities suspect Bonds lied under oath. Besides perjury allegations, they also are investigating him on suspicion of tax evasion regarding income from sales of his sports memorabilia.
