Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Money Laundering Conspiracy Charges

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2012-12-30

U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Will Johnson, 31, of League City, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, kilograms of cocaine and to money laundering conspiracy. Johnson was arrested along with 17 others in August 2010 for narcotics trafficking. The drug conspiracy charge against Johnson carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison up to life, a $5,000,000 fine, or both; and the money laundering conspiracy carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Catherine Baumgarten, who is handling the case, stated that Johnson, originally from the city of Buffalo, obtained kilograms of cocaine in Houston and then utilized others to distribute that cocaine in the Buffalo and elsewhere in the Western New York. In July 2010, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at locations including an apartment leased by Johnson in Missouri City, Texas, and his residence located in League City, Texas. Agents seized cocaine and plastic wrappers consistent with the packaging of kilograms of cocaine, $55,000, one .44 caliber loaded handgun, and boxes of assorted rounds of ammunition.

The investigation further revealed that Johnson deposited and transferred funds generated as a result of his drug trafficking through and to financial institutions, such as when he paid approximately $13,000 to a used car lot in Buffalo to purchase a 2004 Escalade motor vehicle. Johnson also arranged to have cash deposits of $20,000 into bank accounts, which thereafter were used as a down payment for his residence in League City, Texas.

As part of the plea, Johnson agreed to forfeit $203,000 in drug proceeds, including $57,000 seized by law enforcement officers in the state of Texas in July 2010, along with a firearm and various ammunition.

source: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation

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