California Man Sentenced in Connection With Cross-Country Money Laundering Conspiracy

Baltimore, Maryland - A federal judge sentenced a California man, today, for his involvement in a cross-country money laundering conspiracy involving proceeds from marijuana trafficking.

U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Nicholas Parks, 54, of Winnetka, California, to three years years in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for conspiring to commit money laundering. Judge Maddox also ordered Parks to pay a forfeiture amount of $329,071. Parks, who pled guilty to the charges in April 2026, acknowledged that he and his co-conspirators laundered $329,071, between October 2020 and January 2021, in connection with the scheme.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) - Maryland.

According to court documents, Parks admitted that from October 2020 through January 2021, he participated in a conspiracy to launder proceeds he and his associates generated through selling marijuana in Maryland. As part of the conspiracy, female co-conspirators transported marijuana from California to Maryland, usually via commercial air travel. Parks traveled separately from the co-conspirators to Maryland, but he sold the marijuana with local co-conspirators after arrival.

When the co-conspirators finished distributing the drugs, Co-Conspirator 1 used a couple of methods to launder the funds. Co-Conspirator 1 either drove U.S. currency across the country to California or provided the proceeds to a Maryland laundering contact. The contact then moved the money through financial institutions, resulting in two levels, or layers, of laundering transactions.

HSI agents identified several occasions that the co-conspirators laundered marijuana trafficking proceeds. Law enforcement used evidence obtained through multiple methods, including controlled money pick-ups, text messages between co-conspirators, along with recorded calls and meetings, to link the co-conspirators to the conspiracy.

On October 15, 2020, Texas Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop of Co-Conspirator 1 in Carson County, Texas. During the stop, officers recovered approximately $109,071 in U.S. currency from Co-Conspirator 1's vehicle. Officers also seized Co-Conspirator 1's cell phone.

Following a search of Co-Conspirator 1's phone, law enforcement uncovered a lengthy text message exchange between Parks and Co-Conspirator 1. The text-message exchange appeared to show Parks' involvement in the money laundering and drug trafficking conspiracy.

Messages included detailed ledgers of drug sales Parks and his associates conducted along with the money owed to each of them for their participation. The most recent messages showed that Parks provided Co-Conspirator 1 with U.S. currency to transport from Maryland back to California. Additionally, the text messages revealed that Co-Conspirator 1 was supposed to drop off a portion of the proceeds to a location in Oklahoma. Based on the messages, the amount of U.S. currency found in Co-Conspirator 1's vehicle was consistent with the remaining money bound for California and money he was paid for his services.

Co-Conspirator 1 later confirmed to HSI agents that the money found in his vehicle consisted of proceeds from the marijuana trafficking conspiracy in Maryland. He also admitted he was driving the money back to California and was supposed to make a drop in Oklahoma.

Then between December 2020, and January 2021, HSI agents conducted three controlled money pick-ups. Co-Conspirator 1 unknowingly provided the drug proceeds to confidential informants (CIs) to launder funds from Maryland to California. On each occasion, Co-Conspirator 1 provided U.S. currency to one of two CIs, who then provided the funds to HSI agents. HSI agents then deposited the funds into an HSI Riverside government-controlled bank account. Then the HSI agents withdrew the cash and utilized undercovers and/or cooperating witnesses to deliver the funds to co-conspirators in California. Over the course of the three controlled money drops, Co-Conspirator 1 provided the CIs with approximately $220,000.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI for its work in the investigation and Texas Highway Patrol for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Levin who prosecuted the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.

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