Redding man faces $5M fine and 40 years in prison for pot crimes

After a five–day trial, a federal jury today found John James Kash, 52, of Redding, Calif., guilty of three counts of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, manufacturing marijuana, and conspiracy to launder money, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

According to evidence presented at trial, in May 2013, Kash and his three business partners shipped approximately $700,000 worth of marijuana from Benicia, Calif., to the Pittsburgh, Penn., area. Law enforcement authorities tracked the shipment between the two states and watched Kash and his business partners collect the shipment from the freight company and deliver it to a warehouse outside of Pittsburgh. Authorities arrested Kash and his three co-conspirators at the warehouse. That same day, authorities executed search warrants at six separate locations associated with Kash and his business partners seizing over $1 million worth of marijuana and more than $150,000 in cash.

Three months later, after Kash and his business partners had been released from custody in Pennsylvania, law enforcement authorities executed multiple search warrants at a warehouse and residences in and around Redding. Authorities found Kash living inside a warehouse that had been converted into an active marijuana cultivation operation. Authorities seized approximately 468 growing marijuana plants from the warehouse. Meanwhile, authorities searched the residence of Kash’s co-conspirators and found processed, packaged marijuana ready for distribution as well as pay/owe ledgers reflecting marijuana cultivation and sales and several firearms.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Sacramento Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Utah Highway Patrol, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Michele Beckwith, Justin Lee, and Christiaan Highsmith are prosecuting the case.

Kash is in custody pending sentencing. Co-defendants Glen Meyers, Aimee Burgess, and James Massery have all pleaded guilty and are in custody.

Kash is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Mueller on February 3, 2016. Kash faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine on the conspiracy to distribute marijuana charge and on the manufacture of marijuana change, and 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the funds involved in the money laundering offense. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.