Escambia Trio Sentenced On Federal Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering Charges

August 3, 2018

Aaron M. Booker, 27, Joseph F. Booker Jr., 29, and Kaishawndra Lyons, 25, all of Escambia County, and Uy Nguyen, 35, of Vallejo, California, have been sentenced for charges arising from a multi-state drug and money laundering conspiracy.

Joseph Booker was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on July 31, and Aaron Booker was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison Thursday. Nguyen was sentenced to 84 months in prison on July 2. Lyons was sentenced to four years in federal prison on July 31.

Nguyen and the Booker brothers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. All four defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition to the money laundering conspiracy, Lyons also pleaded guilty to making false statements to federal agents.

Since 2015, federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies have been investigating a multi-state drug trafficking and money laundering organization operating in Pensacola, Northern California, and elsewhere. The investigation disclosed that between February 2015, and December 2017, Nguyen shipped packages of cocaine and marijuana from California to the Booker brothers in Pensacola. Nguyen sent his co-conspirators photographs of drug invoices and pictures of packages of cocaine and marijuana that he was shipping from California to Pensacola.

Postal records show that the Booker brothers and Lyons mailed more than two dozen currency-filled packages to Nguyen as payment for the drugs. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers intercepted multiple packages of drugs that Nguyen shipped to his co-conspirators. Bank records revealed that the Booker brothers and Lyons laundered drug money by depositing proceeds from the sale of the marijuana and cocaine into bank accounts Nguyen opened in California.

In December 2017, law enforcement officers searched Nguyen’s residence and vehicle in northern California and located multiple kilograms of marijuana and a receipt for a newly mailed parcel heading to Pensacola. This parcel was intercepted by law enforcement officers and contained multiple pounds of marijuana. The search of the Lyons/Booker residence in Pensacola revealed over $300,000 in United States currency as well as over $300,000 in jewelry and high-end clothing.

Based upon the drug invoices, law enforcement officers determined this conspiracy involved 250 kilograms of marijuana and more than 5 kilograms of cocaine. The conspirators laundered over $250,000 through bank accounts and jewelry stores between Pensacola, Northern California, and other locations in the United States.

This case resulted from an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Pensacola Police Department, the State Attorney’s Office – First Judicial Circuit, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.

Comments

6 Responses to “Escambia Trio Sentenced On Federal Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering Charges”

  1. chris on August 4th, 2018 3:15 am

    Toss the 3 in prison and the taxpayer pays millions over the years.
    Just like they have since the war on drugs has always done
    And the supply of drugs is always there.
    Prohibition is a faiure

  2. Stephen Gundelfinger on August 3rd, 2018 7:07 pm

    Was is it that women generally reach such lesser sentences that their male counterparts? I understand she may have taken a plea deal, but when there isn’t one it still seems to be the case.

  3. nod on August 3rd, 2018 12:16 pm

    Drug use generally (pot cocaine ) is done by adults by choice not affecting anyone else.

    I disagree,

  4. chris on August 3rd, 2018 11:53 am

    Jim
    Drug use generally (pot cocaine ) is done by adults by choice not affecting anyone else.
    Sure people could drive, just as they can with alcohol.
    Crime as you cite is done by one person robbing , shooting ,stealing from another.
    By one party NOT choosing to participate.
    So the comparison falls short.
    Drugs are terrible. Nothing good comes out of it , Even pot.
    BUT this I know ,, drug laws generally punish poor people and dont stop the usage,make cartels killing machines.
    See prohibition
    I dont use drugs and will take a urine hair test ,etc.

  5. Jim on August 3rd, 2018 8:35 am

    @Chris – Laws don’t prevent criminals from committing crimes, and aren’t necessarily enacted for that reason. They tend to stop law-abiding citizens from criminal behavior, and, more importantly, define criminal acts and assign guidelines for restitution and/or punishment. Hence, several dirtbag drug-dealers will be off the streets for quite a while.
    I applaud the Law Enforcement team for their successful investigation and prosecution.

  6. chris on August 3rd, 2018 6:21 am

    I know how to stop drug use. Make strict laws against usage.
    Oh wait…

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News