Ballston Spa man gets prison for pot scheme

ALBANY, N.Y. » A Ballston Spa man was sentenced Tuesday to almost 6 years in prison for his role in a marijuana distribution scheme, authorities said.

Ryan Mershon, 40, of Ballston Spa, was sentenced to 71 months in prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit money laundering and distribute marijuana.

Between October 2013 and February 2016, Mershon obtained marijuana from coconspirators in California and shipped that marijuana to Northern New York in bucket containers, authorities said. The marijuana was sold throughout Northern New York. Mershon arranged for his co-conspirators to deposit the proceeds from the sale of the marijuana in bank accounts in his name as well as the names of his immediate family and girlfriend, authorities said. The amount of proceeds deposited totaled more than $117,000.

United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also ordered Mershon to forfeit $117,000 as proceeds of the crime.

After pleading guilty on Sept. 5, Mershon absconded from court supervision and left New York, becoming a fugitive, authorities said. The U.S. Marshals Service tracked down Mershon and arrested him in California.

This case was investigated by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and HSI, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth R. Rabe.

The sentencing was announced in a news release from: United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Warren County Sheriff Nathan H. “Bud” York; Acting Inspector in Charge Delany De LeonColon, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Boston Division; and Special Agent in Charge Kevin M. Kelly of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office.