Syracuse, NY — Anthony Wills, 37, of Las Vegas, Nevada, is headed to federal prison for 70 months after admitting his role in a multi-state marijuana trafficking and money laundering conspiracy that pumped over $1.27 million in drug cash through hidden bank accounts and nominee fronts.
Wills pleaded guilty on April 15, 2016, to conspiring between January 2011 and August 2015 with a Utica, New York resident and others to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. He admitted to sourcing bulk cannabis from suppliers in California and orchestrating its shipment across state lines, including repeated deliveries to Central New York.
To conceal the origin of drug proceeds, Wills and co-conspirators in Utica deposited cash into third-party bank accounts, which were immediately drained by Wills or his associates in Las Vegas. The operation relied on layers of financial deception — including blank money orders and cash-by-mail — to funnel payments for marijuana shipments totaling between 100 and 400 kilograms under Wills’ direct responsibility.
Wills acknowledged that he knew the transactions were designed to hide the source, ownership, and control of illicit funds. He admitted to laundering exactly $1,274,310.00 in drug proceeds through a coordinated web of financial maneuvers meant to evade detection by law enforcement and federal regulators.
In addition to his 70-month sentence, Wills was handed four years of supervised release and ordered to pay a full money judgment of $1,274,310. The court made no exceptions: the debt follows him beyond prison walls.
The case was jointly investigated by the FBI’s Syracuse office, the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, the New York State Police, IRS, ATF, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Eurenius and Oneida County Assistant District Attorney Grant Garramone. Federal authorities say the takedown dismantled a key node in a larger West-to-East corridor for marijuana distribution and financial concealment.
Related Federal Cases
- James Blocks Trump’s Social Services Cuts · Washington
- James Leads Charge to Shield Haitian Immigrants from Deportation · Washington
- James Halts AmeriCorps Funding Dismantling · Washington
- NY AG James Pushes for ICE Identity Bill · Washington
- James Blocks President’s Illegal Vote Grab · Illinois
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
