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ALBANY, NEW YORK – LaFay Pearson, aka “Lala,” age 23, and Alyssa June White, age 31, both of Troy, New York, pled guilty to offenses related to their involvement in nationwide marijuana trafficking and money laundering conspiracies.
United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; Troy Police Chief Daniel DeWolf; and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
In pleading guilty, Pearson admitted to being a member of a marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) trafficking organization that cultivated marijuana on a commercial scale in Fresno, California, and shipped thousands of kilograms of marijuana and THC from Fresno to locations throughout the United States, including the Capital Region of New York.
Pearson admitted to receiving packages of marijuana shipped by Dwight A. Singletary, II, aka “Nutt” and “Mike Jones,” and McKenzie Merrialice Coles, aka “Kenzie,” from a shipping store in Fresno, Fast Pack & Ship, at her home in Troy. Pearson was notified of the packages of marijuana by Coles and David Singletary, aka “DB,” and was paid between $300 and $400 in cash per package of marijuana received. Pearson worked with her brother, Isiah Ti-Quan Clements, aka “Zay,” to receive the packages of marijuana, and between May 2020 and January 2021, received 11 packages containing approximately 72 kilograms, or 159 pounds, of marijuana. Pearson also admitting to packaging marijuana for sale and to texting with Coles, Clements, and David Singletary about doing so.
White admitted to conspiring with Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, and Lawrence Mumphrey, aka “L,” to launder the proceeds of marijuana and THC sales by purchasing cashier’s checks with cash drug proceeds.
Federal law requires financial institutions to complete a currency transaction report for cash transactions over $10,000. To avoid the reporting requirement and otherwise conceal the cash drug proceeds, White purchased six cashier’s checks in amounts slightly below the reporting threshold for cash transactions with $57,240 in cash drug proceeds. The cashier’s checks were payable to Dwight Singletary; Dwight Singletary’s real estate lawyers; and Dwight Singletary’s company, DAS Empire, Inc.
Pearson faces up to 20 years in prison, a term of supervised release of between three years and life, and a fine of up to $1 million for conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
White faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, and may also be required to serve up to three years of supervised release for conspiring to commit money laundering.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Pearson and White were charged in an indictment with Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, Coles, Clements, Mumphrey, and 17 other people charging marijuana distribution and money laundering conspiracies, firearms offenses, and other crimes. Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, Coles, Clements, and Mumphrey have pled not guilty and are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations.
In addition to Pearson and White, 12 other defendants, Rosemary Coles, Latrice Mumphrey, Sammy Olague, Victor Turner, Kristle Walker, Ruby Ledesma, Lateek White, Onisha Smith, Jazell Shuler, Earnest Flood, aka “Pop,” Consanga Harris, aka “Sondy,” and James Tyrell Daniels, aka “Red” and “Ghost,” previously pled guilty and are pending sentencing.
The ATF, DEA, Troy Police Department and HSI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Dustin C. Segovia are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Updated August 8, 2024
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