California Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison For Marijuana Conspiracy and Money Laundering

HAMMOND- David Winchell, 48 years old, of Rohnert Park, California, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and money laundering, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.

Winchell was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $680,000 money judgment.

"The Defendant was at the head of a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of marijuana and marijuana related products throughout the Northern District of Indiana and elsewhere. The conspiracy involved at least 892 kilograms (1,966.52 pounds) of marijuana and 55,000 separate marijuana related products and has earned him seven years and three years of supervised release," US Attorney Adam Mildred said. "Law enforcement pieced together the scope of the conspiracy through painstaking analysis of ledgers created by Winchell and recovered through trash pulls and search warrants of his residence and other locations which detailed the marijuana sales over a two-year period. Investigators also uncovered that Winchell would launder the proceeds of the drug sales in part by purchasing money orders used to pay off personal credit cards. As part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath have shown that our combined efforts can make a ton of a difference, both literally and figuratively, for the Northern District of Indiana by shutting down this crew," Mildred said.

"The Drug Enforcement Administration will continue to work closely with its law enforcement and prosecution partners to hold drug traffickers accountable. There is no room in northern Indiana for those who want to commit drug crimes. Mr. Winchell's money laundering activities were particularly unethical and illegal. He is worthy of today's sentencing in federal court. His criminal actions have consequences," said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke.

"David Winchell ran a large-scale marijuana business and tried to clean the money when it came in," said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. "IRS-CI special agents followed those profits and exposed the operation for what it was. This sentence makes clear that if you try to profit from illegal sales and hide the money, you will be held accountable."

"This sentence sends a clear message that those who engage in drug trafficking and attempt to hide their profits through money laundering will be identified, investigated, and brought to justice," said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O'Malley. "We will continue working with our partners to combat these crimes and safeguard our communities."

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.