Montgomery County Man Sentenced To 21+ Years In Marijuana Trafficking Case

WICHITA, KAN. – A Montgomery County man has been sentenced to 262 months in federal prison for marijuana trafficking, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Rashon T. Johnson, 37, Independence, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, three counts of attempted possession with intent to distribute marijuana, three counts of traveling in interstate commerce in furtherance of drug trafficking, one count of unlawful use of a telephone in furtherance of drug trafficking and one count of money laundering.

In his plea, Johnson admitted that from January 2009 to January 2011 he and others conspired to obtain marijuana from Texas to distribute it in Kansas and elsewhere. Members of the conspiracy traveled to Texas at the direction of Johnson to buy marijuana and bring it to Kansas.

Johnson admitted:
– On Jan. 22, 2010, he provided $44,000 to co-defendant Jessica Savage to travel from Kansas to Texas to obtain marijuana and bring it back to Kansas. She drove to Dallas in a car he rented. She was not able to obtain marijuana because the money was stolen.
– On May 25, 1010, co-defendant Andrel Spates was arrested in Texas driving a 2008 BMW provided by Johnson that contained 350 pounds of marijuana.
– On Aug. 18, 2010, Johnson spoke to co-defendant Mansi Patel by telephone while Johnson was incarcerated in a Kansas prison. They talked about Patel traveling to Texas to buy marijuana.
– On Aug. 24, 2010, Mansi Patel and Andrel Spates traveled from Kansas to the airport in Tulsa planning to fly to Houston to buy marijuana. They had in their possession money Johnson had provided for the purchase of marijuana.
– In December 2009 Johnson and Patel used money derived from trafficking in marijuana to buy property near Kaufman, Texas valued at more than $123,000.

Co-defendants include:
– William Lawrie, who was sentenced to 82 months in federal prison.
– Cornelius Colbert, who was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison.
– Andrel Spates, who was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison.
– Chadd Kasan Johnson, who was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison.
– Jamal Pilee Jemmerson, who was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison.
– Jessica Leota Savage, who was sentenced to four months in federal prison.
– Cassandra Jonay Shafer, who was sentenced to one year probation.
– Mendi Lynn Carr, who was sentenced to 10 months in federal prison.
– Mansi Patel, who is set for sentencing July 1.

Grissom commended the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind for their work on the case.