Mississippi Woman Pleads Guilty To Laundering Drug Money

JJackson, Miss – Patrina Bester Hayes, 37, of Paulding, Mississippi, joined her co-defendant Lornell Von Moore, 48, also of Paulding, by pleading guilty today to conspiring with Moore to launder his drug money, announced U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and Special Agent in Charge Gabriel Grchan of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS CI). Moore pleaded guilty to the same offense on December 19, 2013 and is currently serving nine years in federal prison for narcotics distribution.

During his heyday, Moore garnered over 2 million dollars in drug profits in just a two year period from 2008 and 2009. During this time and before, Moore and Hayes operated LVM Trucking out of Louin, Mississippi, and washed millions of dollars of drug profits through the trucking company’s bank accounts as well as their private bank accounts.

As a result of the investigation into the narcotics trafficking of Moore and the money laundering activities of Moore and Hayes, investigators of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service through the office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi seized property involved in the scheme. Property seized included:

2010 Chevrolet Camaro;
2005 Freightliner Century Tractor;
2001 Freightliner Columbia;
2006 Hyundai Trailer;
2008 Blue Chevrolet Corvette;
2009 Yamaha Rhino ATV;
2005 Freightliner Century tractor;
2007 Utility Van;
2009 black Chevrolet Silverado truck C1500;
2010 Gray Lexus;
2003 Freightliner Columbia Tractor;
Two residences in Jasper County; and
3 firearms

Moore and Hayes will be sentenced on March 27, 2014 by U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan, III. They each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

“I commend the hard working agents with IRS Criminal Investigation and DEA who worked tirelessly on the money laundering aspect of this case, as well as the federal, state and local law enforcement agents who worked together to dismantle this drug distribution organization,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis.
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Gabriel L. Grchan stated: “The guilty plea entered by Patrina Hayes marks the end of the drug trafficking organization headed by Lornell Von Moore. Hayes was the last defendant to plead guilty, and will be sentenced for her role in Moore’s criminal operation. Likewise, the seizure of Moore’s operating assets has further served to completely dismantle a dangerous drug distribution network. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to continuing its work with the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to put an end to narcotics trafficking in our communities.”

The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the criminal investigation of the financial affairs leading to the current guilty plea. Officers from the Ridgeland Police Department, Jackson Police Department, Hinds County Sheriff=s Office, Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, participated in the investigation of Moore’s drug trafficking organization.