The seventh and final member involved in a synthetic narcotics distribution network has been ordered to federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge George Hanks Jr. ordered Gonzalez to serve a total of 28 months in federal prison and to forfeit $117,984. During the hearing, testimony detailed the significant dangers of synthetic cannabinoids including the risk of death, major health problems and the negative impact it has on the community and first responders.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Hanks noted that the overall operation was fueled by greed and without regard for potential dangers to the community. He recognized the court’s role in deterring others who would engage in similar conduct and the need to protect the public.In 2015, authorities began investigating a smoke shop in Laredo.
During the investigation, authorities tracked payments from multiple retail smoke shops throughout the United States and identified several bank accounts involved in the scheme. Financial records show that from February 2012 through 2019, the network received over $15.4 million in illicit proceeds. Bowles, 47, Phoenix, Arizona, was previously sentenced to 192 months in prison, while five others received terms of imprisonment ranging from 63 to 98 months. Forfeitures for all seven convictions totaled $9.8 million.Synthetic cannabinoids are chemical compounds that mimic the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana but often with severe life-threatening side effects. They can be infused in plant material and ingested with rolling papers, pipes, vaporizers or taken orally.
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