Former Northborough Resident Sentences for Steroid Trafficking, Meth and Firearms

On Thursday, a Worcester federal courtroom heard Mark Taslakian, 52, admit guilt to a string of serious offenses that shocked the quiet streets of Northborough. The former resident, now living in Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute anabolic steroids, possessing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and being a felon in possession of firearms.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts, Taslakian wasn’t just a lone wolf. He and a handful of co‑conspirators had a plan to import multi‑kilogram batches of raw steroid powder from China, then turn them into injectable and oral products. The operation was given a slick brand name – “Nex‑Gen Pharma” – that Taslakian himself created to market the illicit drugs.

When law‑enforcement agents knocked on the door of his former Northborough home, they found a treasure trove that reads like a scene from a heist movie: more than $500,000 in cash, a solid gold bar, assorted jewelry, piles of steroid powder, crystal‑clear methamphetamine, packaging supplies, detailed ledgers, and a basement safe packed with seven firearms.

The meth charge alone carries a possible prison term of five to 40 years. Each of the steroid‑conspiracy and gun charges can bring up to ten years behind bars. Taslakian’s sentencing has been set for Jan. 11, 2027, where the judge will weigh the gravity of the drug operation against any mitigating factors.

While the courtroom drama unfolds, the Northborough community is left to process the unsettling reality that a neighbor once ran a sophisticated international drug ring from his own house. The case serves as a stark reminder that even seemingly ordinary suburbs can harbor hidden criminal enterprises.