SHERMAN OAKS—An investigation in a massive marijuana money-laundering case has pointed detectives to a dispensary in the San Fernando Valley area. It is believed that the dispensary unlawfully sold millions of dollars worth of marijuana and attempted to conceal the profits by transferring the money between illegitimate businesses, according to officials.
The suspects in the case are 26-year-old Northridge resident Jimmy Silva, and Sherman Oaks residents 55-year-old Steven Kall and 47-year-old Anne Adams. A search warrant affidavit indicates that the three individuals allegedly laundered drug sales valued at $2.18 million during from 2007 to 2009.
On July 3, Kall and Adams were reportedly taken into custody while in Las Vegas, and have a bail amount set at $750,000 for Kall and $250,000 for Adams. Silva was taken into custody in Northridge, but was released on $250,000 after entering a not guilty plea to the charges made against him.
The suspects were arrested as a result of an investigation that lasted for approximately a year, and originated after investigators received a tip about a marijuana farm in a residence in Lockwood Valley, according to the Ventura County Sheriff. After a search warrant was executed at the home, approximately 1,000 marijuana plants were discovered. Kall reportedly indicated that the plants were being cultivated for medical purposes in connection to a Granada Hills dispensary.
A search of the dispensary, a number of homes, (including a Sherman Oaks apartment in which Kall and Adams lived), and bank accounts connected to the defendants uncovered that $3 million worth of marijuana was being sold each year during the operation. According to written documents, the marijuana profits were being transferred from one account to another in an attempt to cover its actual source. Further investigation later determined that millions of dollars was still missing, so a search was conducted to find a possible hidden cache for the missing profits. According to investigators, a man who had previous involvement in the collective had also indicated that the Kall and Adams may have purchased marijuana from individuals who did not work for the collective. It is also believed that the suspects may have used the profits to purchase expensive or luxurious items.
Kall is reportedly facing charges involving 109 counts of felony money laundering and one count of promoting an area in which to cultivate marijuana. His co-defendant, Adams, faces charges involving 13 counts of felony money laundering and nine counts of felony money-laundering respectively. Kall and Adams are expected to be arraigned. Officials indicate that the two suspects are also to receive sentencings for other felony drug charges for which they had previously entered guilty pleas.
Silva currently has pled not guilty to all charges and has a pre-trial conference scheduled for July 23. Kall and Adams have had their arraignment on the indictment continued to July 23, according to the County of Ventura District Attorney.
