A 31-year-old Ironton man was recently sentenced in federal court for possession of more than 1,090 grams or nearly 2.5 pounds of synthetic marijuana with intent to distribute, Crow Wing County Sheriff Todd Dahl said Thursday.
Wesley John Hanson was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison. The indictment stems from an investigation started by the Lakes Area Drug Investigative Division in March of 2014. The LADID agents executed a search warrant at Hanson's residence in which a large amount of synthetic marijuana was seized. Agents also had evidence Hanson had been selling large quantities of the substance to individuals in the Brainerd and Crosby area. Synthetic marijuana sells for about $50-60 a gram.
Due to the large amount of drugs seized and Hanson's past criminal history, LADID agents presented the case to the United States Attorney's Office for consideration. On Nov. 3, 2014, agents were notified Hanson had been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of possession with the intent to distribute synthetic cannabinoids, commonly referred to as "synthetic marijuana."
On June, 30, 2015, Hanson pleaded guilty to the charge of possession of synthetic cannabinoids and was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison.
"This once again shows the aggressive stance that we take on drugs within our community. Individuals involved in the sale of narcotics in Crow Wing County will be tracked down and brought to justice," Dahl said.
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The Brainerd and Baxter police departments, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Attorney's Office assisted in this investigation.
