Three Sedalia men have been indicted in a multi-state marijuana distribution operation.
Zachary Scott Nutt, 35, a Sedalia native living in Los Angeles, received an indictment from a federal grand jury along with Christopher Patrick Martin, 38, and Joshua Ryan Gilmore, 36, both of Sedalia.
The federal indictment alleges Nutt, Martin and Gilmore and six other men participated in a conspiracy to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana in Pettis, Cooper, Boone, Morgan, Pulaski and Jackson counties, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Garrison, of the Western District of Missouri.
Six other men from Missouri and California have also been charged in the 20-count indictment. The grand jury made the ruling May 3, and the indictment was under seal until Monday.
This superseding indictment replaces one from July 5 of last year, adding seven defendants to the case.
The final defendant to be arrested, Brian Michael Rodriguez, 39, of Willits, California, appeared in federal court Monday for his arraignment.
He has been indicted with the three Sedalia men and Charles Christopher Thomas, 36, of Otterville; James Devon Garrett, 31, of Fulton; Melvin Frank Lovejoy, 36, of Waynesville; Nicholas Anders Glaholt, 35, of Independence; and James Edward Smalley III, 36, of Laytonville, California.
Several of the co-defendants have also been charged with various counts of possessing marijuana with intent to distribute and crossing state lines to promote conspiracy.
Martin is facing two counts of maintaining a place for the storage and distribution of marijuana. Thomas has been charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Nutt and Glaholt were identified in the case as having leadership roles in the operation, according to the news release. Both were accused of participating in a money-laundering conspiracy.
An affidavit filed with the original charges alleges the two men obtained marijuana from multiple sources, including a grow operation in California. They reportedly supervised and participated in the transportation and distribution of the drug.
Law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Glaholt’s residence and at another home in Kansas City on June 13, 2017. At Glaholt’s residence, they seized several packages of marijuana, marijuana wax, digital scales, vacuum sealers, ledgers, computers, tablets and $20,000 in what officers believed to be drug profits, according to the release.
Investigators found about 261 pounds of marijuana at the other Kansas City residence along with cellphones, digital scales, drug packaging equipment, eight empty duffel bags, .22-caliber ammunition and drug ledgers.
The indictment contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Nutt, Glaholt, Smalley and Martin to turn over all property reportedly obtained from the drug trafficking operation or used to commit the conspiracy.
This would include Martin’s commercial property for his business, Old 50 Auto & Marine in Sedalia.
The Sedalia Police Department investigated the case with a number of other law enforcement agencies, including the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Cooper County Sheriff’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Division, East Central Drug Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
