Sherlann Simon Pleads Guilty to Drug Money Laundering

COEUR D’ALENE – In a stunning admission, Sherlann Simon, 34, of North Las Vegas, Nevada, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson revealed. Simon was indicted by a federal grand Jury in Coeur d’Alene on January 20, 2016.

The defendant confessed that since approximately 2010, she had laundered $482,955.71, the proceeds of a drug trafficking organization led by her mother, Loren Toelle. The operation distributed drugs across Idaho, Washington, Nevada, Montana, and North Dakota. Simon’s involvement in the conspiracy included depositing the profits into her personal bank accounts and business accounts at Vegas Stylz House of Beauty, a hair salon she co-owned with Toelle.

Simon allocated some of these funds to pay for expenses related to the organization, thereby facilitating its drug trafficking activities. This marks the second guilty plea out of an indictment involving 11 individuals.

In addition to her guilty plea, Simon agreed to forfeit any interest she holds in real property, jewelry, and cash, as detailed in the indictment. The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 19, 2017, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.

This case is the culmination of a joint investigation by numerous law enforcement agencies, including the FBI North Idaho Violent Crime Task Force, DEA, IRS-CI, and others. The Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) has played a significant role in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.