Fourth Madison-Area College Student Sentenced For Conspiracy To Import & Distribute Marijuana In Wisconsin
MADISON, Wis. - John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kevin Ha, 24, Madison, Wis., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William Conley to three years of probation for conspiring with others to distribute marijuana in the Madison area. Ha pleaded guilty to this charge on November 20, 2015.
From September 2012 to February 2015, Ha and six other codefendants, all college students, arranged the purchase, transportation and distribution of as many as 19 loads of marijuana, ranging in quantity from five to 50 pounds, from California and Colorado to Madison. Drivers were sent to the West Coast with tens of thousands of dollars to make contact with a supplier, and return with up to 50 pounds of marijuana at a time. The marijuana loads were then divided among the “investors” who had provided money for the purchase of the supply. These persons then sold the marijuana in Madison for a substantial profit.
Ha was one of the persons who drove money to California and brought back marijuana on a number of occasions in return for thousands of dollars in compensation.
Three fellow conspirators have been sentenced to date:
The other three defendants, Enis Gashi, 21; Amadou Camara, 23; and Yotam Israeli, 22, have entered guilty pleas and are scheduled to be sentenced this month.
The charge against Kevin Ha was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation; and Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The prosecution of this case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson.
Parents and children are encouraged to educate themselves about the dangers of drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.JustThinkTwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov.
