Former MLB slugger Canseco charged

Jose Canseco was charged in federal court Tuesday with a misdemeanour offence of trying to bring a fertility drug across the border from Mexico.

The former baseball star did not address the court during his initial court appearance, which lasted about five minutes. He was charged with introduction into interstate commerce of a misbranded drug, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a $1,000 US fine.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Ruben B. Brooks read the charge in San Diego, informed Canseco of his rights and scheduled a hearing for Nov. 4.

Canseco was released on his own recognizance and taken to the U.S. Marshal's office for fingerprinting and to have a mug shot taken.

He refused comment when he emerged from the downtown courthouse about 50 minutes later.

Canseco was detained at San Diego's San Ysidro border crossing Thursday after agents searched his vehicle and said they found human chorionic gonadotropin, which is illegal without a prescription, according to his lawyer, Gregory Emerson.

The drug is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency for use in males. The drug helps restore production of testosterone lost in steroid users.

"That's what they say," Emerson said as he walked behind Canseco, who was accompanied by a woman.

Emerson declined to comment further.

Canseco admitted to using steroids in a 2005 book that also alleged steroid use by other baseball players.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection released Canseco after he agreed to allow ICE agents to search his Los Angeles-area home, Emerson said last week. About 10 ICE agents searched the home in the lawyer's presence Friday as Canseco was returning from San Diego.

Authorities held Canseco for nine-and-a-half hours at the crossing across the border from Tijuana, Mexico.