United States Drug Enforcement Administration

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - -Troy Derby, Assistant Special Agent-in-(ASAC) of DEA’s Kansas City District Office, announced today that on July 5, 2017, two men were indicted in a $7 million dollar marijuana conspiracy spanning from California to Missouri.  Zachary Scott (a.k.a. “Tuna”), 35, of Los Angeles, California, and also Sedalia, Missouri, and Nicholas Anders Glaholt, 34, of Independence, Missouri, were charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Missouri, charging them with conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana.  The grand jury indictment alleges that Nutt and Glaholt distributed this marijuana from 2001 through 2017, and primarily in the counties of Pettis, Cooper, Boone, Morgan, Pulaski, and Jackson, in the state of Missouri.

ASAC Derby advised that Nutt and Glaholt - who have leadership roles in the conspiracy - obtained marijuana from multiple sources, including a grow operation in California and have directly supervised and executed the transportation and distribution of the marijuana obtained from California.  Investigators identified from business and financial records that, since early 2010, Nutt and Glaholt have travelled between California and Missouri on commercial flights and/or in rented vehicles.

According to ASAC Derby, on Aug. 18, 2016, investigators seized 8 pounds of marijuana; on November 6, 2016, investigators seized 40 pounds of marijuana, and on November 7, 2016, investigators seized 4 pounds of marijuana, all supplied by the defendants and others.

During the investigation, law enforcement learned that another person transported approximately $73,700 to Nutt for the purchase of marijuana in California for distribution in Missouri. On April 5, 2017, investigators in California observed Nutt loading a vehicle with what was believed to be marijuana.  On April 8, 2017, Nutt flew back to Kansas City and Glaholt picked him up at Kansas City International Airport, with law enforcement following Nutt and Glaholt as they drove directly to Glaholt’s residence, where the “load” vehicle arrived from California shortly thereafter.  Then on June 5, 2017, investigators seized approximately 11 pounds of marijuana supplied by the defendants and others.  A person arrested by investigators in the aftermath of the seizure of marijuana reported that the person had received approximately 440 kilograms of marijuana from Nutt over a period of approximately two years.

Nutt and Glaholt were both arrested on June 13, 2017. During their arrests, Glaholt was found to be in possession of approximately two pounds of marijuana in his vehicle, while Nutt was found to be in possession of approximately two ounces of marijuana in his vehicle.

Law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Glaholt’s residence and another residence in Kansas City, Mo., on June 13, 2017.  At Glaholt’s residence they seized approximately $20,000 believed to be drug proceeds, several individual packages of marijuana, marijuana wax, digital scales, vacuum sealers, ledgers, computers, tablets and notes.  At the second Kansas City residence investigators seized approximately 261 pounds of (including packaging), cell phones, digital scales, drug packaging equipment, eight empty duffel bags, .22-caliber ammunition and drug ledgers from a safe.

ASAC Derby added that the indictment also contained a forfeiture allegation, which would require Nutt and Glaholt to forfeit to the government $7 million, which represents the total amount of money involved in the conspiracy.

This case was investigate by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division, the Sedalia, Mo., Police Department, the Cooper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the East Central Drug Task Force, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. This case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.