Arizona Man Sentenced For Marijuana Distribution Conspiracy
EAST ST. LOUIS, IL. - Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced that on February 25, 2011, Raul R. Teran , age 27, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for his participation in a marijuana distribution ring. In addition, Teran was sentenced to a term of five years supervised release, a fine of $750 and a special assessment of $100.
Teran pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana on June 15, 2009. Teran is one of 14 defendants convicted in the scheme. According to evidence presented at Teran’s change of plea hearing, Teran assisted in shipping large quantities of marijuana from Tucson, Ariz., and Lima, Ohio, to East St. Louis, Ill., and elsewhere between 2001 and 2007. Much of the marijuana shipped consisted of 200 to 300 pound loads concealed inside bathtubs and hot water heaters. Cash was often shipped back to Tucson in the same manner.
The investigation was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task (OCDETF), with the Drug Enforcement (DEA) as the lead agency. The OCDETF initiative is designed to bring federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and resources together to identify, target and dismantle large national and international drug trafficking organizations. Evidence in the investigation was gathered by the DEA. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Garrison.
