Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana

A Montana man and his California accomplice have been sentenced for their roles in a significant marijuana trafficking operation.

Cludio Puccio, 47, of Alberton, Montana, was sentenced to 11 months in custody, 2 years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for his conviction on charges of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Aiding and Abetting.

Puccio’s accomplice, Beth Swank, 53, of Columbia, California, received a similar sentence, with 10 months in custody, 2 years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The convictions stem from an incident on November 23, 2013, when a South Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper stopped Puccio and Swank for speeding. An investigation ensued after the trooper searched their vehicle and found vacuum sealed bags of suspected marijuana, pucks of suspected hashish, $55,340 in cash, and 11 cell phones.

The substances were tested and confirmed to be marijuana, with a weight of 11.726 pounds, and hashish, with a weight of 1.4502 pounds.

The case was investigated by the Division of Criminal Investigation and the South Dakota Highway Patrol, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuting the case. Puccio and Swank were immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

The sentencing marks a significant blow to the duo’s marijuana trafficking operation, which was shut down after their arrest.

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