In Washington, DC, Avery Bost, a 29-year-old from Brandywine, Maryland, received a prison term of 37 months today, while Joe Blyther, also 29, from Bowie, Maryland, was handed a 10-year sentence on Tuesday. Their convictions relate to their involvement with the “LA Dank DMV Crew,” a complex operation that trafficked substantial quantities of marijuana from California to the local area. The sentencing was announced by Matthew M. Graves, U.S. Attorney, along with David J. Scott, FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal and Cyber Division at the Washington Field Office.
Bost admitted guilt to charges of conspiracy to distribute marijuana on October 27, 2023, while Blyther’s guilty plea on November 8, 2023, covered similar drug distribution charges as well as firearms offenses, including the use of a machine gun and possession of firearms by a felon. Following their convictions, Judge Kollar-Kotelly mandated a three-year supervised release for both individuals after their incarceration.
Several co-defendants associated with the LA Dank operation, including Abubakr Banire, Kavon Duncan, and others, have also entered guilty pleas for their roles in drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Sentences for these individuals ranged from 18 months to 74 months. Banire, identified as the ringleader, is scheduled for sentencing on June 24, 2024.
The guilty pleas result from an extensive probe by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, uncovering a well-orchestrated plot to import and distribute high-grade marijuana in the DMV area from May 2021 to December 2021.
The distribution network extensively utilized digital marketing through dedicated websites and social media platforms, including Instagram. They also operated temporary stash houses in rental properties to facilitate their distribution efforts.
The group was found in possession of a significant arsenal of firearms, with some modified to fully automatic capabilities. In total, law enforcement recovered 122 pounds of marijuana, 19 firearms, and 10 conversion devices capable of modifying firearms into machine guns.
Financial records from the operation show transactions exceeding 100 kilograms of marijuana. The case highlights significant inter-agency collaboration, with contributions from the Metropolitan Police Department, Prince George’s County Police Department, and Anne Arundel County Police Department, under the lead of Assistant United States Attorneys Justin F. Song, Meredith E. Mayer-Dempsey, and Thomas Strong.
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