GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A conspiracy to distribute marijuana led to a hefty sentence for two Oregon residents. Jesse Parker and Justin Jones, both 23-year-olds from Bend, Oregon, were found guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and sentenced on September 16, 2013, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Parker was handed a lenient 2 years of probation while Jones received a harsher 6 months of custody and 2 years of supervised release. The Court also ordered him to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. In a harsher blow, the Court ordered the forfeiture of a 1997 Toyota automobile and $11,418 in cash.
According to investigators, Jones met with a supplier in Oregon in early September 2012, and was fronted approximately 10 pounds of marijuana for $1,000 a pound. He and his co-defendant agreed to deliver the marijuana to a buyer in Minnesota. The buyer paid $3,200 a pound for the marijuana, and after setting aside $10,000 of the proceeds to pay the supplier in Oregon, Parker, Jones, and a co-defendant split the remaining $22,000.
On September 15, 2012, a South Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper stopped Jones, Parker, and the co-defendant for speeding in a construction zone. During the traffic stop, the trooper discovered and seized $10,000 in cash that he found in a backpack in the trunk of the car. The trooper also discovered a ledger in the backpack that contained drug dissemination plans for the past eight months. Jones’ name was in the back of the ledger.
A thorough search of the vehicle and of Parker’s purse yielded additional cash, psilocybin mushrooms, and various drug paraphernalia. The investigation was conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Jones will report to the U.S. Marshals Service in Portland, Oregon, on or before September 24, 2013, to begin serving his sentence. The case serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of engaging in marijuana trafficking. As the nation continues to grapple with the issue of marijuana legalization, cases like this one highlight the risks and consequences associated with the trade.
The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.
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Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- 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€
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