Fulton Woman Pleads Guilty to $2 Million Money Laundering Related to Distributing K2

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Fulton, Mo, woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to her role in a money-laundering conspiracy related to the distribution of synthetic cannabinoids, also known as K2, at Callaway County, Mo., businesses.

Dara Leanne Shirley, 30, of Fulton, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matt J. Whitworth on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, to the charge contained in an April 20, 2016, federal indictment. Shirley and others operated Inscentives Auto and Inscentives Resale, which sold synthetic cannabinoids at its Fulton and Auxvasse, Mo., locations.

By pleading guilty, Shirley admitted that she conspired to conduct financial transactions from Dec. 18, 2012, to July 16, 2015, which involved the proceeds of unlawful activity. These transactions were intended to promote the illegal distribution of synthetic cannabinoids and to conceal the nature and source of the proceeds. Shirley and her co-conspirators intended to defraud government authorities by packaging synthetic cannabinoids in such a way as to avoid government regulation over these drugs and to continue selling these drugs.

Shirley also admitted that she and other conspirators paid at least $1,986,442 for synthetic cannabinoids.

Shirley is the third defendant to plead guilty in this case.

Co-defendant Casey Dewayne Miller, 32, of Columbia, pleaded guilty on Nov. 16, 2016, to distributing synthetic cannabinoids. Miller admitted that he sold synthetic cannabinoids to an undercover law enforcement officer on July 16, 2015, while working at Inscentives Resale in Fulton. Miller told officers that he had been employed at the store for two years. Officers executed a search warrant at Inscentives Resale the same day and seized 148 packages of synthetic cannabinoids from behind the sales counter and a loaded Ruger .40-caliber handgun.

Co-defendant Billie L. Bruce, 36, of Jefferson City, pleaded guilty on Sept. 21, 2016, to distributing synthetic cannabinoids. Bruce admitted that he sold synthetic cannabinoids to an undercover law enforcement officer on July 16, 2015, while working at S&J Tobacco in Holts Summit. Bruce told officers that he had been employed at the store for three or four months. Officers executed a search warrant at S&J Tobacco the same day and seized 2,241.5 grams of synthetic cannabinoids and a Hi-Point .40-caliber handgun, which was located next to the cash register.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, the government and Shirley agree that a sentence of 63 to 78 months is appropriate. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the DEA Task Force – Jefferson City, DEA Sacramento, Calif., DEA Reno, Nev., IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the MUSTANG Drug Task Force, the Callaway County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Cole County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Jefferson City, Mo., Police Department, the Fulton, Mo., Police Department and the Holts Summit, Mo., Police Department.