Five Arrested In Marijuana And Money Laundering Conspiracy

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul Jr. announced today that Damarcus Hennings, 24, Shaquata Hennings, 28, Arthur Clark, 27, Shahana Beaver, 23, and Janice Humphrey, 26, all of Buffalo, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute marijuana and launder money, and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.  The marijuana charges carry a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine.  The money laundering charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
 
Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank T. Pimentel, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between April 2015 and August 2015, the defendants conspired to and received packages containing marijuana that were shipped from Denver, Colorado via a commercial delivery service.  The defendants also conspired to send the cash proceeds from resulting marijuana sales to the supplier in Denver.  In all, more than 100 such packages were shipped to Buffalo during the course of the conspiracy.  Dashawn Abrams, the Denver-based supplier, remains at large.

The five defendants made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. Damarcus and Shaquata Hennings are being held in custody pending detention hearings on September 14, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. and 10:15 a.m., respectively, before Magistrate Judge Schroeder.  The other three defendants were released. Beaver and Humphrey return to court on September 14 at 10:15 a.m. for appearances of counsel, and Clark returns to court on September 16 at 10:00 for appearance of counsel.
 
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of James J. Hunt, Special Agent in Charge, New York Field Division and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police, undert the direction of Chief George Gast.
 
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.