Calif. woman pleads guilty in Ohio plane pot case
Criminal Law
As the chief courier of a California-to-Ohio marijuana shipping scheme pleaded guilty Friday, prosecutors said the investigation continued into other possible suspects in the plot that brought hundreds of pounds of marijuana hidden in suitcases to Ohio on private jets.
Authorities say Lisette Lee was the primary courier for a scheme that distributed about 7,000 pounds of the drug and made more than $3 million from November 2009 through April.
"Obviously other people were involved in the case," assistant U.S. attorney Tim Pritchard said after Lee pleaded guilty. "We're continuing to look as we were from the first day."
Lee, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 2,000 pounds of marijuana. She faces 10 years to life, though under federal sentencing rules she's likely to receive the lower sentence.
Frank Edwards, of Hacienda, Calif., was among five others arrested in the case. He pleaded guilty Friday to a similar charge involving more than 200 pounds of pot. He faces five to 40 years in prison, but also is not expected to receive the longest term.
Lee recruited Edwards, 40, to act as a courier and he was not involved in obtaining or distributing the marijuana, according to testimony Friday by Matthew Heufelder, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration special agent.
Related listings
-
Janitor says not guilty in Calif. principal murder
Criminal Law 02/07/2011A janitor pleaded not guilty to murder Friday in the death of a Northern California school principal who was shot after sending the suspect home to "cool off" over a personnel dispute. John Luebbers, 44, was charged after telling investigators he fir...
-
Mich. mosque plot suspect says he wants new lawyer
Criminal Law 02/04/2011A California man accused of threatening to blow up a Detroit-area mosque told a judge on Friday he wanted a new lawyer, saying his current counsel "is a Shiite" and a "patron of the mosque."Roger Stockham, 63, appeared at what was scheduled to be his...
-
Ex-hospital director guilty of sex abuse
Criminal Law 02/04/2011A former California state mental hospital director was found guilty Thursday of sexually abusing his adopted son in what prosecutors contend was a pattern of preying on young boys that spanned four decades.A Superior Court jury convicted 63-year-old ...
New York Commercial Litigation Law Firm - Woods Lonergan PLLC
Founded in 1993 by Managing Partner James F. Woods, Woods Lonergan PLLC has built a strong reputation as a resourceful and industrious firm that provides clients with clear, concise, and straightforward answers to their most challenging legal issues. Partner Lawrence R. Lonergan, who joined the firm in 2008, has been a friend and colleague to Mr. Woods for over 40 years and shares the same business philosophy. Woods Lonergan PLLC’s collective experience and expertise enables the firm to expeditiously and effectively analyze the increasing challenges clients face in an evolving business and legal world, in many instances, avoiding unnecessary time and expense to our clients. Our mission is simple: provide cutting-edge expertise and sound advice in select areas of the law for corporate and business clients. We thrive on providing each client with personalized attention, forceful representation, and a collaborative team effort that embraces collective knowledge.