Two members of the "La Dank DMV Crew," a sophisticated marijuana distribution ring that shuttled hundreds of pounds of pot from California into the metropolitan area, have been handed stiff prison sentences. According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Avery Bost of Brandywine, MD, was sentenced to 37 months in prison, while Joe Blyther of Bowie, MD, will spend the next decade behind bars for their roles in the conspiracy.
Bost and Blyther both pleaded guilty last fall to charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess marijuana with the intent to distribute, with Blyther's rap sheet also including the use of firearms in drug trafficking, machine gun possession, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Judge Kollar-Kotelly has also sentenced the two to serve three years of supervised release, as ordered, following their prison terms.
The guilty pleas resulted from an extensive probe spearheaded by the FBI's Washington Field Office and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia. This crew executed a calculated plan to diversify their illegal enterprise through the use of dedicated websites and social media channels, particularly Instagram, to peddle their "LA Dank" branded products. Additionally, the group employed rental properties as transient stash houses and sales points in an effort to constantly stay one step ahead of the law.
The investigation uncovered an extensive arsenal of 19 firearms and 10 machine gun conversion devices among the crew. A total of roughly 122 pounds of marijuana was seized, evidence of the group's prolific trafficking activities. Blyther was specifically found guilty in relation to one of the pistols outfitted with a machine gun conversion device. The ledger and receipts have shown that the crew managed to distribute well over 100 kilograms of marijuana into the DMV area. Seven of the machine gun conversion devices were discovered in a bag marked with the LA Dank insignia, and two of the firearms were traced back to be privately made AR-pistol-style "ghost guns."
The FBI investigation was a collaborative effort with multiple local law enforcement agencies, including the Metropolitan Police Department, the Prince George's County Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Justin F. Song, Meredith E. Mayer-Dempsey, and Thomas Strong prosecuted the cases. Aside from Bost and Blyther, eight other co-defendants have pleaded guilty to various charges, with sentences ranging from 18 to 74 months. The LA Dank crew's alleged leader, Abubakr Banire, is expected to be sentenced on June 24.
