Las Vegas, Nev. -  Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada, announces that GARRY LYNN KING, age 51, of North Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Larry R. Hicks to 42 months in prison for his guilty pleas to Manufacturing a Controlled Substance (marijuana), Money Laundering, and Criminal Forfeiture. KING also forfeited $250,000 in U.S. Currency, which he admitted was proceeds from his illegal marijuana manufacturing operations.

According to the court records, in early 1997, GARRY KING rented a residence at 3 North Arlington Street in Las Vegas, Nevada, from Danny Hall. KING then established a hydroponic marijuana grow operation at the residence and employed Hall to maintain it. KING required that the utilities at 3 North Arlington Street remain in Hall's name. In 1997, KING also established a hydroponic marijuana grow operation at a residence at 5515 North Campbell Road in Las Vegas occupied by the mother of Robert Hickey, an acquaintance of KING. On March 26, 2001, a federal search warrant was executed at the 5515 North Campbell Road residence, and 445 marijuana plants were seized. On April 6, 2001, a federal search warrant was executed at the 3 North Arlington Street residence and 2,237 marijuana plants were seized.

From November 4, 1998, through December 8, 1999, KING used another individual as a nominee-owner in the lease of a 1995 Chevrolet Corvette. KING provided this individual with cash proceeds from his marijuana manufacturing business so this person could make the monthly payments on the Corvette in order to disguise KING's ownership interest in the Corvette.

Several other defendants, including GARRY KING's brother, Barry King, were also charged and convicted in the investigation. Robert Hickey pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Manufacture a Controlled Substance (marijuana) and Money Laundering, and was sentenced on August 15, 2003, to 24 months in prison; Peter Steven Caveretta pleaded guilty to Making False Statements, Establishment of a Manufacturing Operation (marijuana), and False Declaration to a Grand Jury and was sentenced on November 5, 2003, to 12 months and one day in prison; Johnny Dale Vaughn pleaded guilty to Manufacturing a Controlled Substance (marijuana) and was sentenced on November 17, 2003, to 30 months in prison; Danny Hall pleaded guilty to Establishment of a Manufacturing Operation (marijuana) and was sentenced on December 2, 2003, to 24 months in prison; and Barry King pleaded guilty to Manufacturing a Controlled Substance (marijuana), Money Laundering, and Criminal Forfeiture and was sentenced on October 21, 2002, to 46 months in prison. Barry King admitted that he used nominees to rent a home at 1921 Coralino Drive in Henderson, Nevada, solely for the purpose of establishing a hydroponic marijuana grow operation in the house. Agents seized 787 marijuana plants from that home when they searched it in July 2001.

The prosecution is the result of an investigation by Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation in Las Vegas. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Dougherty.

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