https://www.wvva.com/2024/08/21/ohio-man-pleads-guilty-money-laundering-wyoming-county/

BECKLEY, W.Va. (WVVA) - An Ohio man plead guilty in federal court on August 21 for crimes out of Wyoming County, West Virginia.

Jack Paskin, 34, of Nelsonville, OH., pleaded guilty to money laundering according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of West Virginia.

Court documents showed that Paskin facilitated the shipment of wholesale quantities of Marijuana to Mullens, WV from in or about mid-summer 2019 until on or about August 31, 2020.

Paskin admitted that the shipments were directed to addresses provided by co-defendant Merrick Rice, who plead guilty on May 7.

Additionally, Paskin admitted to knowing Rice was selling the marijuana to other individuals who then distributed it across southern West Virginia.

Money made from Rice’s marijuana sales were deposited into bank accounts that Paskin had individual or signatory authority over.

Paskin withdrew $30,000 in cash from one of the bank accounts on February 24, 2021, knowing if was from the marijuana sales.

Paskin is set to be sentenced on December 13 where he will face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

Rice, 44, of Mullens, and Miranda Aliff, 32, of Rock Creek, both pleaded guilty on May 7, 2024, to structuring transactions with one or more domestic financial institutions. Rice and Aliff admitted to structuring bank deposits of the illicit drug proceeds totaling $228,000 to evade currency transaction reporting requirements, and await sentencing.