https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/three-plead-guilty-in-nationwide-marijuana-trafficking-money-laundering
ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) — Three pled guilty Tuesday to offenses related to their involvement in nationwide marijuana trafficking and money laundering conspiracies, according to District Attorney Carla B. Freedman.
James Tyrell Daniels, aka “Red” and “Ghost,” of Fresno, CA, Consanga Harris, aka “Sondy,” of Troy, NY, and Earnest Flood, aka “Pop,” of Richmond, VA, admitted to being members of a marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) trafficking organization that cultivated marijuana on a commercial scale in Fresno, CA, and shipped thousands of kilograms of marijuana and THC from Fresno to locations throughout the United States, including the Capital Region of New York.
In pleading guilty, 40-year-old Daniels admitted to working with, among others, Dwight A. Singletary II, aka “Nutt” and “Mike Jones,” to cultivate marijuana in two grow houses behind his home and in a commercial warehouse in Fresno. The marijuana growth in the warehouse was financed in substantial part by Singletary, DA Freedman says.
On Jun. 15, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the warehouse and seized, among other things, 424 marijuana plants at various stages of maturity in five commercial grow rooms.
Surveillance footage depicts, among other things, Daniels "tending to the marijuana plants and bringing supplies into the warehouse with Singletary" according to DA Freedman. In addition to growing marijuana, court documents find that Daniels purchased and resold large quantities of marijuana and sold THC “edibles.”
Daniels and other members of the organization shipped the marijuana and THC edibles through UPS and FedEx from a shipping store, Fast Pack & Ship, in Fresno, to locations throughout the United States, including the Capital Region, New York City, and other parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
The marijuana was packed in dog food containers and luggage, and the packages were often sealed with eBay packing tape "in an effort to avoid detection by law enforcement," DA Freedman says.
Between Apr. 2017 and Jun. 2022, approximately 1,292 packages containing approximately 15,582 pounds of marijuana were shipped from Fast Pack & Ship to the Capital Region.
Daniels admitted to working with others to launder marijuana proceeds for Singletary and other members of the organization, including through bank accounts in the name of Fast Pack & Ship and Fast Pack & Ship, LLC. Daniels also admitted to laundering marijuana proceeds through bank accounts he owned and controlled, including business accounts held by his company BRDL, LLC, and by receiving money transfers in Fresno purchased with cash marijuana proceeds.
63-year-old Harris admitted to receiving packages from Fast Pack & Ship at her home in Troy. Between Mar. 2018 and May 2022, she received 90 packages containing approximately 700 kilograms, or 1,543 pounds, of marijuana, the DA says.
66-year-old Flood admitted to receiving packages of marijuana from Fast Pack & Ship at his home in Richmond and to selling the marijuana. Flood coordinated the shipments of marijuana, deposited cash marijuana proceeds into his bank account, and transferred the funds to Singletary through a middle person.
Daniels, with a prior felony conviction, faces at least 15 years and up to life in prison, a term of post-release supervision of at least ten years and up to life, and a fine of up to $20 million for conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, the DA says. He also faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 for conspiring to commit money laundering.
Harris faces up to 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release of between three years and life, and a fine of up to $1 million for conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Flood faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 for conspiring to commit money laundering and up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Daniels, Harris, and Flood were charged in an indictment with Singletary and 16 other people charging marijuana distribution and money laundering conspiracies, firearms offenses, and other crimes.
Investigations on the case are conducted by the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration New York Division, the Troy Police Department, and the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Dustin C. Segovia are prosecuting the case.
