Lawrence Fassler,
author of the book “Busted by the Feds” (a
manual for individuals facing federal criminal charges), was sentenced
today by United States District Court Judge James S. Gwin in Cleveland
to 135 months in prison for drug trafficking and money laundering. Fassler,
age 66 of Tucson, Arizona, was the leader of a multi-state organization
that was responsible for transporting approximately 400 kilograms of marijuana
from Arizona to Ohio between June 2007 and February 2008. Fassler conspired
with 10 charged individuals to distribute the marijuana in the greater
Cleveland area. The investigation revealed that co-defendants Gary Turner
(of Medina, Ohio), John Turner (of Cocke County, Tennessee), Fassler, and
their associates would arrange for large quantities of marijuana to be
brought to Cleveland, Ohio, from Tucson, Arizona. Thereafter, Gary Turner
and John Turner, assisted by other members of the conspiracy, would sell
the marijuana to their various customers in the greater Cleveland, Ohio
area.
Fassler utilized
the U.S. Mail to send over $30,000 in U.S. Currency from Ohio to Arizona.
The money was the proceeds of Fassler’s drug
trafficking.
Fassler was arrested on January 22, 2008, in Middleburg Heights, Ohio
in possession of seven kilograms of cocaine. Fassler mailed the cocaine to
himself from Arizona to Ohio. The cocaine had an approximate street value
of $500,000.
Fassler was the last of 11 convicted defendants who was sentenced on
federal drug conspiracy charges.
To date, persons
targeted by the investigation have agreed to forfeit U.S. Currency and
real property to the United States valued at approximately $500,000.
These properties were obtained as a result of the persons’ drug
trafficking. Additionally, as part of the investigation, agents and officers
have seized approximately 80 pounds of marijuana and eight firearms.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward F. Feran and
James L. Morford.
The investigation was conducted by agents and task force officers of
the Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force (NOLETF). The NOLETF is a
long standing multi-agency task force composed of investigators from, among
others, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS), Lake County Narcotics Agency, Regional Transit Authority
(RTA) Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The
NOLETF is an initiative of the Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
(HIDTA). The HIDTA Program supports and helps coordinate numerous Ohio
drug task forces in their efforts to eliminate, or reduce drug-trafficking
in the State of Ohio.
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