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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Aug. 3 , 2009
CALIFORNIA MAN PLEADS GUILTY, ADMITS TIE TO POT IN PLANE AT SALINA AIRPORT IN 2002
TOPEKA, KAN. – Sean A. Gayle, 33, Norwalk, Calif., has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and cocaine, U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch said today.
In his plea, Gayle admits that he worked for a California-based drug trafficking organization that delivered marijuana in chartered planes and laundered millions of dollars in drug proceeds through a recording studio in North Hollywood owned by the leader of the organization, Troy Barker. On Dec. 23, 2002, Barker was arrested at the airport in Salina, Kan., where his chartered plane had stopped to refuel on the way to Cleveland. In the plane, investigators found 564 pounds of marijuana.
After Barker’s arrest, other members of the conspiracy were under pressure to raise money to pay the supplier of the marijuana that had been seized and to pay for Barker’s legal defense. Gayle joined defendants Clive Hamilton and Brian Diaz in a plan to raise money by collecting from buyers who owed Barker for drugs. In the early morning hours of Dec. 24, 2002, they took off on a chartered plane from an airport in Van Nuys, Calif., bound for Cleveland. When they returned that night, they were arrested with $852,405 in cash and three handguns.
Defendants include:
Clive Anthony Hamilton, who was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison.
Troy Barker, who was sentenced to 168 months.
Dean Milton Dormer, who was sentenced to 151 month.
Brian Everton Diaz, who was sentenced to 54 months.
Melanie Nicole Adauto, who was sentenced to 32 months.
Faith Hope Hamilton, who is scheduled for sentencing Aug. 24, 2009.
Gayle is scheduled for sentencing Nov. 9, 2009. Prosecutors are recommending a sentence of 10 years. Welch commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Salina Police Department, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Mattivi and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag for their work on the case.
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