BOSTON – In a shocking case of illicit weed, a Milton woman was sentenced to four years in prison for her role in a multimillion-dollar marijuana delivery service.
Deana Martin, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Hillman to four years in prison and three years of supervised release. Martin was also ordered to pay restitution of $528,146.
Martin pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion, one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and three counts of money laundering on May 4, 2021.
Martin and co-defendant Tatiana Fridkes were indicted in May 2019 in connection with their management of Northern Herb, a marijuana delivery service that operated in Massachusetts from 2015 to 2018.
Martin owned and managed Northern Herb, which operated a website offering marijuana products for sale including raw marijuana, pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes and marijuana edibles. While Northern Herb purported to provide medical marijuana, it did not require a customer to provide proof of a medical marijuana card. Furthermore, Northern Herb delivered marijuana to unattended locations (such as a front door or hallway) where unknown third parties could have accessed it.
Northern Herb used locations in Canton, Milton, Foxborough and Hyde Park to store and distribute marijuana, and employed at least 25 workers. From May 2016 through July 2018, Northern Herb’s revenue exceeded $14 million, but it did not withhold or pay taxes on its millions of dollars in marijuana sales and did not pay taxes on its profits.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Abely, Chief of Mendell’s Criminal Division, John Mulcahy of Mendell’s Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit and Assistant Chief Kathleen Barry of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case, along with Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Tax Division.
Related Federal Cases
- Roger Martin, False Mayday Calls, Massachusetts 2023 · Massachusetts
- Viviane Cazeau, Bank Fraud Scheme, Massachusetts, 2023 · New Hampshire
- Cedric Cromwell, Major Drug Trafficking, Massachusetts, 2020 · Massachusetts
- Carla Douglas Conigliaro, Cash-Withdrawal Scheme, Massachusetts 2023 · Massachusetts
- Charles Benoit, Child Pornography Possession, Massachusetts 2010 · Massachusetts
Key Facts
- State: Massachusetts
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
