Walter Terry, Marijuana Distribution, Washington 2016

A 57-year-old Seattle man has been sentenced to prison for distributing 146 kilograms of marijuana throughout the United States. Walter Terry, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing marijuana on January 6, 2016, and was sentenced to one year in federal prison by Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge.

According to the U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson, Terry distributed marijuana to 17 states, including Idaho, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Texas. The operation was based out of Terry’s Seattle residence, which he was ordered to forfeit, along with $500,000 in cash proceeds.

The investigation began in 2013 when an undercover DEA special agent contacted Terry, and he agreed to mail marijuana from Seattle to the undercover agent in Boise, Idaho. Between January 2013, and March 2014, Terry sent six shipments of marijuana to Idaho. In May 2014, Terry agreed to sell the undercover agent five pounds of marijuana, which led to his arrest.

Terry stated during the investigation that he began his marijuana distribution operation out of his residence in Seattle in 2010 or 2011. He claimed that after the state of Washington legalized medicinal marijuana, his business was negatively affected and he began advertising his marijuana distribution business on websites to out-of-state customers.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Seattle Police Department, King County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Postal Inspectors. In addition to the prison sentence, Terry was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay a $2,000 fine.

Terry’s operation was a multi-state effort, with marijuana sent to customers across the country. The investigation and sentencing of Terry are a significant blow to the marijuana distribution network. The seizure of over $30,000 in drug proceeds and 15 pounds of marijuana during the search of Terry’s residence was a major part of the investigation.

The sentencing of Walter Terry sends a strong message about the consequences of distributing marijuana across state lines. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to disrupt and dismantle marijuana distribution networks.

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