Isaac Akinduro, a 27-year-old D.C. resident, was handed a 41-month prison verdict for his part in a vast weed smuggling ring. The "LA Dank DMV Crew" member, also known by the monikers "Benji" and "Black", had entered a guilty plea last October for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, reports the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Akinduro, boasting four prior gun and drug convictions, was collared in Glen Burnie, Maryland, last summer. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly didn't just throw the book at him prison-wise, but also imposed a three-year supervised release once he's sprung, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office announcement.
This case has seen the entire LA Dank cohort pleading guilty to marijuana conspiracy, among other firearm charges. Akinduro's fellow crew member, Abubakr Banire known as "Swave," will learn his fate come June for charges including owning, by a felon, a machine gun and other firearms associated with the drug trade.
Others have already felt the gavel's weight. Kavon Duncan, aka "Babyk," began a 71-month sentence last month while Christopher Akinduro, "Oshay" by his street name, is facing a 74-month incarceration since January. Still in the queue for sentencing are Joe Blyther, "Hawk," and Avery Bost, known both as "Avenue" and "Left," the latter slated for judgment in just a few days. Omar Butler, or "O" as he's called in certain circles, was given 18 months earlier this month, and last October, Randall Lance aka "Mike Lambo," was slapped with a 63-month stretch, the U.S. Attorney's Office stated.
According to the feds, from May to December 2021, the LA Dank DMV Crew conducted a smartly run operation, ferrying high-grade marijuana from California to distribute in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region. The enterprise wasn't shy about self-promotion, advertising their product with gusto on dedicated websites and platforms such as Instagram. A string of rented stash houses served as their pop-up markets. The crackdown on the crew netted law enforcement over 122 pounds of marijuana, an arsenal of 19 firearms, and 10 machinegun conversion kits.
The operation's unraveling was a collaborative effort involving the FBI's Washington Field Office's Cross-Border Task Force, local and county police forces. The prosecution's spearheads, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin F. Song, Meredith E. Mayer-Dempsey, and Thomas Strong, brought these men to justice, the official release from the U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed.
