Ryan Michael Burras Sentenced For Conspiracy To Commit Import Violations And For Violating Fda Laws

RYAN MICHAEL BURRAS, age 23, a resident of Slidell, Louisiana, was sentenced in federal court today by U. S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit import violations and to violating FDA laws by mislabelling and distributing synthetic marijuana, announced U. S. Attorney Dana J. Boente.  BURRAS was sentenced to approximately 11 months imprisonment.  In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Lemmon ordered that BURRAS be placed on 3 years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment, during which time the defendant will be under federal supervision and risks an additional term of imprisonment should he violate any terms of supervised release.

According to court documents, beginning in the first half of 2010 and continuing through at least July 2011, BURRAS conspired with co-defendants, Cody Beaudette, Christopher Buelle, and C Square, L.L.C., a Slidell-based company, to knowingly receive, buy, and sell synthetic marijuana imported into the United States contrary to law, specifically causing the introduction and delivery of a drug that is adulterated and misbranded under Federal law.  BURRAS’s role in the offense was to design labels for C Square, L.L.C.’s brands of synthetic marijuana, and he also assisted in the distribution of C Square, L.L.C.’s synthetic marijuana brands.  C Square, L.L.C.’s brands included “ZeRo GrAviTy”, “iAroma”, and “Primo,” among others.

Cody Beaudette, Christopher Buelle and C Square, L.L.C. are scheduled for trial on June 10, 2013.

The case was investigated by U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations and the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Office of Criminal Investigations with the assistance of the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Slidell Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U. S. Attorney Robert Weir.