Eugene Woman Sentenced For Drug Distribution And Money Laundering
EUGENE, ORE - . - Suzan Dione, 40, of Eugene, Oregon, was sentenced January 12, 2011, to
24 months in prison for conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, and Ecstasy, and for laundering money and structuring currency transactions. She also forfeited two homes and over $30,000. This sentencing followed Dione’s guilty plea on October 25, 2010.
Dione was identified as a drug distributor in multiple states, and controlled a bank account into which more than $605,000 was deposited. All of the deposits were derived from the distribution of marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, and Ecstasy. She used some of this money to purchase a home located in Eugene, Oregon, and to pay mortgages on another home in Eugene. In November of 2008, a search warrant was served at both homes and $4,045 and a variety of narcotics-related paraphernalia were seized. Additionally, over $26,000 was seized from various bank accounts.
In pleading guilty, Dione admitted that she conspired with others to manufacture and distribute marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, and Ecstasy, and that she laundered over $700,000 of the proceeds of that operation in numerous financial transactions. She also admitted that she structured over $32,000 in currency transactions for the purpose of evading financial institution reporting obligations to the Internal Revenue Service, and that this currency was also derived from the distribution of the marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, and Ecstasy.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Eugene Police Department, and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division
