Westwego Woman Pleads Guilty to Concealing Marijuana Trafficking
Tram Nguyen, a 32-year-old resident of Westwego, Louisiana, has pleaded guilty to misprision of a drug trafficking felony, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser.
Nguyen’s guilty plea comes after Louisiana State Police seized a shipment containing approximately 420 pounds of marijuana hidden in 12 steel drums, destined for a Westwego warehouse where she lived with her boyfriend, Michael Kwan.
Shipping records revealed that Kwan had received numerous similar shipments from his California supplier in the past, and a search of the Westwego warehouse uncovered another 161 similar steel drums.
Kwan, who pleaded guilty in March 2018 to conspiring to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, faces a term of imprisonment of at least ten years and up to life, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
Nguyen admitted to concealing Kwan’s felony trafficking by depositing checks written from local seafood restaurants and retailers for the purchase of seafood that Kwan had earlier bought with proceeds from his marijuana trafficking, and by transferring funds derived from the trafficking activities from bank to bank to avoid detection.
For her misprision offense, Nguyen faces a term of imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to one year of supervised release.
Nguyen’s sentencing is set for January 8, 2019, before Judge Zainey.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Louisiana State Police, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service in the investigation and prosecution of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas D. Moses and Jeffrey Sandman are in charge of the prosecution.
Related Federal Cases
- California Man Sentenced for Marijuana Trafficking Ring Role · Louisiana
- California Man Sentenced 48 Months for Methamphetamine Trafficking · Louisiana
- Fulcher Gets Life for Cross-Country Sex Trafficking · Mississippi
- Gonzales Man Sentenced for Interstate Racketeering, Drug Trafficking · Louisiana
- Jazmin McKinnie Convicted of Sex Trafficking Minor · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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