PORTLAND, Ore. – Antonio Irving Benjamin, 53, of Salem, Oregon, is headed to federal prison for a full decade after being sentenced to 144 months for trafficking in illegal narcotics and laundering millions in illicit profits. Benjamin, a documented career criminal, ran a sophisticated operation that pumped THC and psilocybin-laced edibles into markets across the country – and beyond.
The Department of Justice announced the sentencing today, detailing how Benjamin, along with convicted co-conspirator Jered Hayward, operated a large-scale production facility in Salem. They weren’t growing weed; they were *infusing* it. The operation centered around taking popular cereal and candy products, drenching them in potent THC oil, and repackaging them to mimic legitimate goods. These look-alikes were then shipped nationwide and internationally, raking in a fortune. While prosecutors stated there was no evidence Benjamin deliberately targeted children, the packaging – designed to appeal to a broad audience – posed a clear and present danger to kids unable to discern the warning labels.
Benjamin’s crew didn’t operate in the open. They relied on encrypted messaging apps like Telegram to handle orders and payments, and established shell companies to scrub the money clean. The entire enterprise was built on illegality. Benjamin held no permits, no licenses – just a brazen disregard for the law and a hunger for cash. This wasn’t a medical marijuana operation; it was a full-blown criminal conspiracy.
This isn’t Benjamin’s first rodeo. The feds designated him a “career criminal” thanks to prior federal convictions for cocaine and fentanyl trafficking. The judge clearly wasn’t impressed with his history. As part of the plea agreement, Benjamin has agreed to forfeit assets valued at over $2 million – a significant blow to his operation and a clear message to others involved in similar schemes.
The forfeited assets are substantial: the Salem production facility itself, over $1 million in cash, $640,000 in cryptocurrency and bank funds, more than $400,000 in gold and silver, jewelry including a Rolex, twelve vehicles (including UTVs and boats), and a property at 879 Railway Avenue NE in Silverton, Oregon. This isn’t just a prison sentence; it’s a financial dismantling of a criminal enterprise.
The investigation was a multi-agency effort, spearheaded by Homeland Security Investigations, with support from the Portland Police Bureau, United States Postal Inspection, Oregon State Police, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Salem Police Department, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Kemp Strickland and Christopher Cardani handled the prosecution for the District of Oregon. Benjamin will also serve 5 years of supervised release following his prison term. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.
Related Federal Cases
- Sick Nurse Corbitt Gets 7 Years for Child Porn · Washington
- Chae Sun Kim Gets 39 Months for ID Theft, Bank Fraud · Washington
- Meth King Palomera Gets 20 Years – Ran Ring From Mexico · Washington
- Pasco Meth Kingpin Gets 22+ Years · Washington
- Worrell Gets 30 Months for Overton Gun Heist · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Oregon
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News