Shi Yun Zhou, Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering, North Carolina 2023
A Charlotte man was sentenced to 9 years in prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that trafficked large quantities of marijuana and other narcotics between California and Charlotte.
Shi Yun Zhou, 27, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 108 months in prison and four years of supervised release on drug trafficking conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
The investigation into the drug trafficking organization began in 2015 and revealed that Zhou was involved in the DTO from 2013 to 2018, engaging in extensive drug trafficking and money laundering activities. According to court records, Zhou trafficked more than 770 kilograms of marijuana and 500 grams of cocaine in and around Mecklenburg County, and used the drug proceeds to buy multiple residences and luxury vehicles.
On April 3, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at one of Zhou's residences, and seized narcotics, three firearms and ammunition, a digital scale and other drug paraphernalia, and $215,106 in cash.
Zhou pleaded guilty in April 2018 to drug trafficking conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the DEA and IRS-CI for their investigation of this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sanjeev Bhasker and Ben Bain-Creed, of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
In related news, the DEA and IRS-CI continue to work together to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations across the country.
Defendant Information:
Defendant Name: Shi Yun Zhou
Exact Criminal Charges: Drug trafficking conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute cocaine
City and State: Charlotte, North Carolina
Exact Date: April 2018 (sentencing, arrest, or crime date)
Sentence or Outcome: 108 months in prison and four years of supervised release
Dollar Amounts: $215,106 in cash, multiple residences, and luxury vehicles
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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