Nevada Man Sentenced in Marijuana Conspiracy

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Reno, Nevada, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana was sentenced on January 25, 2016, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Robert Lukasz Rydlewski, age 31, a citizen of Poland, was sentenced to 30 months in custody, to be followed by 4 years of supervised release.  He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Rydlewski was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 4, 2015.  He pled guilty on November 4, 2015.

Rydlewski was a member of a conspiracy formed in about January 2012, to distribute marijuana in South Dakota and elsewhere.  While he was living in California, he used cash sent to him by a co-conspirator to purchase marijuana from individuals running a marijuana grow operation in California.  He then mailed the marijuana to the co-conspirator at different locations, including South Dakota.

Later on, Rydlewski set up deals for the sale and purchase of marijuana with several co-conspirators who were living in South Dakota.  The co‑conspirators traveled to California to meet with Rydlewski.  He sold them marijuana which was put in triple vacuum-sealed packages inside suitcases.  The co-conspirators would bring Rydlewski suitcases of money, and he would in turn give them the suitcases of marijuana.

This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Haak prosecuted the case.

Rydlewski was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.