Related Federal Cases
- Sherlann Simon Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Launder Money, Coeur … · Idaho
- Jalin Russell-Halfacre, Obtaining Controlled Substances by Fraud, B… · Michigan
- Eastern Idaho Gun and Drug Offenders Face Justice · Idaho
- Alejandro Hidalgo, Retail Fraud Scheme, Idaho 2016 · Texas
- Jose Reynaldo Cardenas Jr, Meth Trafficking, Idaho 2024 · Idaho
Mountain Home Woman Sentenced for Money Laundering
BOISE, Idaho – Laura Denise Russell, 65, of Mountain Home, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison for conspiring to commit money laundering, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today.
According to court records, Russell conspired with others, including her son Michael Osborn, 39, of Boise, to launder drug proceeds from approximately October 2019 until March 2021. During the conspiracy, codefendants Michael Osborn and Troy Thomas Wheeler, 48, of Meridian, were incarcerated in the Idaho Department of Corrections where they used contraband cellphones to facilitate the distribution of controlled substances including alpha-pyrrolidinohexanophenone, which is commonly referred to as a-PHP or ‘bath salts.’
Russell’s role included retrieving drugs from the mail and providing them to others. She also collected drug proceeds from others, which were kept in her credit union account and also converted into Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Russell and her codefendants knew the funds were drug proceeds and took steps to conceal the nature and source of the drug proceeds. During the investigation, law enforcement agents seized a digital wallet, pursuant to a court-authorized seizure warrant, that contained 7.83777 Bitcoin that was valued at approximately $280,000.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Russell to serve two years of supervised release following her prison sentence and ordered the seized Bitcoin to be forfeited to the Government. Russell pleaded guilty to the crime on April 4, 2023.
Codefendant Angela Marie Klinkhamer, 44, of Caldwell, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances and conspiring to commit money laundering on November 28, 2022. She was sentenced to 70 months in prison on March 16, 2023. Michael Robert Osborn, 39, of Boise, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances and conspiring to commit money laundering on April 26, 2023, and he is scheduled for sentencing on September 12, 2023. Troy Thomas Wheeler, 48, of Meridian, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances, and he is scheduled for sentencing on September 11, 2023.
“Drug traffickers may think that they can hide their activities or illegal proceeds using cryptocurrency. They are wrong,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “This case shows that our law enforcement partners have the tools and tenacity to uncover all forms of money laundering, and we will not hesitate to prosecute even the most complex cases.”
Russell, 65, will serve her prison sentence in connection with conspiring to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h). She resides in Mountain Home, Idaho and the crime occurred from October 2019 until March 2021.
Key Facts
- State: Idaho
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent 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