October 24, 2007

FLORIDA MAN SENTENCED TO 18 MONTHS IMPRISONMENT AND FORFEITS $273,000 TO GOVERNMENT

The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Raymond Sprague, 64, of Marco Island, Florida was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment and ordered to forfeit $273,425 to the Government. Sprague had previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and money laundering. Judge J. Garvan Murtha also sentenced Sprague to a three-year period of supervised release.

According to court records, over a several year period ending in 2004, Sprague would drive hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to southern California, pick up marijuana loads of approximately 200 pounds, and transport the marijuana to Vermont and New Hampshire. Sprague transported most of these loads to a Ronald J. Langford of Addison, Vermont. Judge Murtha previously sentenced Langford to five-years imprisonment for the marijuana conspiracy, bank fraud, and money laundering. Sprague picked the marijuana up in California from Wesley Garbrous, of Bonita, California, whom Judge Murtha previously sentenced to six-years imprisonment. Court records indicate that the $273,425 Sprague forfeited to the Government represented proceeds of his participation in the marijuana conspiracy.

The investigation was conducted by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Perella. The defendant is represented by James Warner of San Diego, California.