California Man Pleads Guilty to Cross-Country Money Laundering Conspiracy

Baltimore, Maryland – A California man pled guilty in federal court today, to charges stemming from his involvement in a cross-country money laundering conspiracy involving proceeds from marijuana trafficking.

Nicholas Parks, 53, of Winnetka, California, admitted to conspiring to commit money laundering. Parks acknowledges that he and his co-conspirators laundered $329,071 between October 2020 and January 2021 in connection with the scheme.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland.

According to the guilty plea, Park admits that from October 2020 through January 2021, he participated in a conspiracy to launder proceeds he and his associates generated through selling marijuana in Maryland. As part of the conspiracy, female co-conspirators transported marijuana from California to Maryland, usually via commercial air travel.  Parks traveled separately from the co-conspirators to Maryland, but he sold the marijuana with local co-conspirators after arrival.

When the co-conspirators finished distributing the drugs, Co-Conspirator 1 used a couple of methods to launder the funds. Co-Conspirator 1 either drove U.S. currency across the country to California or provided the proceeds to a Maryland laundering contact. The contact then moved the money through financial institutions, resulting in two levels, or layers, of laundering transactions.

HSI agents identified several occasions that the co-conspirators laundered marijuana trafficking proceeds. Law enforcement used evidence obtained through multiple methods, including controlled money drops, text messages between co-conspirators, along with recorded calls and meetings, to link the co-conspirators to the conspiracy.

On October 15, 2020, Texas Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop of Co-Conspirator 1 in Carson County, Texas. During the stop, officers recovered approximately $109,071 in U.S. currency from Co-Conspirator 1’s vehicle. Officers also seized Co-Conspirator 1’s cell phone.

Following a search of Co-Conspirator 1’s phone, law enforcement uncovered a lengthy text message exchange between Parks and Co-Conspirator 1. The text-message exchange appeared to show Parks’ involvement in the money laundering and drug trafficking conspiracy.

Messages included detailed ledgers of drug sales Parks and his associates conducted along with the money owed to each of them for their participation.  The most recent messages showed that Parks provided Co-Conspirator 1 with U.S. currency to transport from Maryland back to California. Additionally, the text messages revealed that Co-Conspirator 1 was supposed to drop off a portion of the proceeds to a location in Oklahoma.  Based on the messages, the amount of U.S. currency found in Co-Conspirator 1’s vehicle was consistent with the remaining money bound for California and money he was paid for his services.

Co-Conspirator 1 later confirmed to HSI agents that the money found in his vehicle consisted of proceeds from the marijuana trafficking conspiracy in Maryland.  He also admitted he was driving the money back to California and was supposed to make a drop in Oklahoma.   

Then between December 2020, and January 2021, HSI agents conducted three controlled money drops. Co-Conspirator 1 unknowingly used confidential informants (CI) to receive and launder the drug trafficking proceeds from Maryland. On each occasion, Co-Conspirator 1 provided U.S. currency to one of two CIs, who then deposited the funds in a bank account HSI controlled.  Then co-conspirators withdrew the funds in California and transported it to other individuals who were believed to grow marijuana in the state.  Over the course of the three controlled money drops, Co-Conspirator 1 provided the CIs with approximately $220,000.

Parks faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for Monday, July 27, at 2:30 p.m.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI for its work in the investigation and Texas Highway Patrol for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Levin who is prosecuting the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.

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