A Denver man who flew a plane loaded with marijuana into an airport in Iola, Kan., was sentenced Monday to a year in federal prison followed by a year on supervised release, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said. In addition, the Drug Enforcement Administration administratively forfeited his plane, more than $450,000 in cash and two cars.
Kenneth E. Weaver, 59, Denver, Colo., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. In his plea, he admitted that on July 11, 2014, he flew his plane into the Iola airport carrying 207 pounds of medical grade marijuana.
The Drug Enforcement Administration administratively forfeited his plane (a 1979 Israel Aircraft Industries Model 1124 jet) $457,580 in cash, a 2007 Bentley Continental auto, and a 2010 BMW X auto.
Grissom commended the Allen County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett for their work on the case.