Lawrence Fassler, author of the book “Busted by the Feds”(a manual for individuals facing federal criminal charges), was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge James S. Gwin in Cleveland to 135 months in prison for drug trafficking and money laundering. Fassler, age 66 of Tucson, Arizona, was the leader of a multi-state organization that was responsible for transporting approximately 400 kilograms of marijuana from Arizona to Ohio between June 2007 and February 2008. Fassler conspired with 10 charged individuals to distribute the marijuana in the greater Cleveland area. The investigation revealed that co-defendants Gary Turner (of Medina, Ohio), John Turner (of Cocke County, Tennessee), Fassler, and their associates would arrange for large quantities of marijuana to be brought to Cleveland, Ohio, from Tucson, Arizona. Thereafter, Gary Turner and John Turner, assisted by other members of the conspiracy, would sell the marijuana to their various customers in the greater Cleveland, Ohio area.

Fassler utilized the U.S. Mail to send over $30,000 in U.S. Currency from Ohio to Arizona. The money was the proceeds of Fassler’s drug trafficking.

Fassler was arrested on January 22, 2008, in Middleburg Heights, Ohio in possession of 7 kilograms of cocaine. Fassler mailed the cocaine to himself from Arizona to Ohio. The cocaine had an approximate street value of $500,000.

Fassler was the last of 11 convicted defendants who was sentenced on federal drug conspiracy charges.

To date, persons targeted by the investigation have agreed to forfeit U.S. Currency and real property to the United States valued at approximately $500,000. These properties were obtained as a result of the persons’ drug trafficking. Additionally, as part of the investigation, agents and officers have seized approximately 80 pounds of marijuana and 8 firearms.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward F. Feran and James L. Morford.

The investigation was conducted by agents and task force officers of the Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force (NOLETF). The NOLETF is a long standing multi-agency task force composed of investigators from, among others, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Lake County Narcotics Agency, Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The NOLETF is an initiative of the Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). The HIDTA Program supports and helps coordinate numerous Ohio drug task forces in their efforts to eliminate, or reduce drug-trafficking in the State of Ohio.