Next month, his rippling muscles will bulge out of the official FDNY calendar, but now, Mr. April 2004 is striking a much less glamorous pose - for a police mug shot.
Pin-up firefighter Rodney St. Cloud, who moonlights as a stripper under the name "Hot Rod," was arrested yesterday afternoon at Fire Department headquarters in Downtown Brooklyn for possession of "controlled substances," cops said.
Law-enforcement sources told The Post a 5-pound package containing $347,000 worth of anabolic steroids had been seized upon delivery under St. Cloud's name to a Midtown photo lab where his wife, Stacy, works. She was not arrested.
U.S. Customs officials had alerted city cops to the shipment from China, which sources said contained some 20,000 Dianabol pills - a popular but potentially dangerous steroid known as "D-bols" in weightlifter parlance - and 60 vials of liquid human growth hormone.
They said the bulky bodybuilder had been the subject of a major investigation involving the NYPD, Fire Department, U.S. Customs, state Special Narcotics prosecutors and the city Department of Investigation.
He is expected to be arraigned on the charges today in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Last May, criminal charges against St. Cloud for steroid possession were dropped because there was no proof of intent to supply. But the Bravest beefcake was still banished to desk duty when he tested positive for the drugs.
The FDNY would not comment, saying only that St. Cloud had been suspended from duty.
"He's one bad apple and it shouldn't take away from the good work the calendar does to support fire-safety education, which, in turn, saves firefighters' lives," said an FDNY official.
