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Three Plead Guilty to Marijuana Distribution
Tampa, Florida – In a major blow to the marijuana trade, three men have pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute over 100 kilograms of the illicit substance.
Chad Sunyich, 37, Jason Vowell, 38, and Timothy Long, 39, all pleaded guilty to their roles in the elaborate marijuana distribution scheme.
According to court documents, the conspiracy began in 2010 when Sunyich sent marijuana grown in northern California to a person who would later become a cooperating witness (CW-1) in Tampa. The marijuana trafficking relationship between Sunyich and CW-1 continued into 2011 and 2012, with Sunyich supplying CW-1 with quantities of marijuana ranging between thirty and ninety-nine pounds at a time, generally every 45 to 60 days.
In early 2012, Long joined the conspiracy, collecting marijuana proceeds for Sunyich and receiving pounds of marijuana from Sunyich for further distribution. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray handling the prosecution.
Sunyich and Vowell also pleaded guilty to possessing marijuana with intent to distribute, while Long’s guilty plea on [no date specified] marks the culmination of the investigation. Each faces a mandatory minimum term of five years, up to forty years in federal prison on the conspiracy charge, as well as a maximum term of twenty years in federal prison for the possession charge.
Vowell has agreed to forfeit property used to facilitate the conspiracy, including his Piper Aerostar fixed wing airplane and $166,228 in cash.
The guilty pleas mark a significant victory for law enforcement in their ongoing battle against marijuana trafficking in Florida. As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen whether more arrests will be made in connection with this case.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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