61°F
weather icon Windy

Las Vegas man sentenced in marijuana-by-mail scheme

A Las Vegas man has been sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh for his role in a cross-country trafficking scheme to distribute marijuana on college campuses in Pennsylvania, the U.S. attorney’s office announced Tuesday.

Ryan Schanck, 30, was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana and money laundering, according to Scott W. Brady, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and other agencies conducted a multi-year investigation into the marijuana trafficking conspiracy.

Between 2012 and 2017, Schanck and his co-conspirators arranged for marijuana to be supplied from the West Coast and mailed to the Pittsburgh area through the U.S. Postal Service. They would then sell the marijuana in the western district of Pennsylvania, primarily on college campuses such as Indiana University of Pennsylvania, officials said.

During the scheme, Schanck distributed between 700 to 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, officials said. He also conspired to launder more than $258,400 in proceeds from the marijuana sales.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman prosecuted the case.

Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST