PHOENIX – In a shocking turn of events, John Cary Dean, 28, of Phoenix, Ariz., was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison for his involvement in a large-scale marijuana trafficking operation. Dean pleaded guilty on January 23, 2014, to two counts of possession with intent to distribute less than 50 kilograms of marijuana, one count of manufacturing marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking offenses.
According to the evidence presented in court, Dean was involved in the growing, packaging, and distributing of high-grade marijuana in Arizona and out-of-state. His operation was so vast that he possessed firearms for his protection while trafficking marijuana.
Dean’s troubles began in February 2013, when Arizona Department of Public Safety officers contacted him in Flagstaff with 25 pounds of high-grade marijuana and a loaded .357 handgun en route to Alabama to deliver the marijuana to customers. This marked the beginning of a long investigation that would ultimately lead to his downfall.
In May 2013, law enforcement arrested Dean and searched his residence, where they found a well-outfitted marijuana grow operation, 32 pounds of marijuana packaged for sale, hydroponic growing supplies, $79,587 in cash, and eleven firearms, including four handguns, five rifles, and two shotguns.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Flagstaff Offices of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Jonell L. Lucca, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
Dean’s sentence of 6.5 years in prison is a stark reminder of the consequences of engaging in large-scale marijuana trafficking operations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, is committed to bringing these individuals to justice and disrupting the flow of illicit substances into our communities.
The case number is CR-13-01029-PHX-DLR, and the release number is 2014-045_Dean. For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Related Federal Cases
- David Quintero-Mascareno, Fentanyl Trafficking, Arizona 2024 · Washington
- Roger Wade Anderson, Meth and Gun Trafficking, Arizona 2023 · Colorado
- Steven Dale Audette, Extortion, Arizona 2024 · Washington
- Yadira Villalvazo, Heroin Trafficking, California 2024 · Washington
- Erik Alberto Beal, Assault on Federal Officer, Arizona 2024 · Florida
Key Facts
- State: Arizona
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News