MADISON, WIS. -- John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Yotam Israeli, 23, Madison, Wis., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William Conley to one year and one day in federal prison for conspiring with others to distribute marijuana in the Madison area, primarily in and around the University of Wisconsin campus. Israeli pleaded guilty to this charge on November 3, 2015.
From September 2012 to February 2015, Israeli and six other codefendants, all college students, arranged the purchase, transportation and distribution of as many as 19 loads of marijuana, ranging in quantity from five to 50 pounds, from California and Colorado to Madison. Drivers were sent to the West Coast with tens of thousands of dollars to make contact with a supplier, and returned with up to 50 pounds of marijuana at a time. The marijuana loads were then divided among the “investors” who had provided money for the purchase of the supply. These persons then sold the marijuana in Madison for a substantial profit.
Five fellow conspirators have been sentenced to date:
Defendant | Age/Residency | Sentence |
Haris Riza | 22/ Madison | 1 year and 1 day in federal prison |
Parvis Samadzada | 22/Madison | 1 year and 1 day in federal prison |
Joseph Ramsey | 21/Madison | 3 years probation |
Kevin Ha | 22/Madison | 3 years probation |
Amadou Camara | 23/Sun Prairie | 2 ½ years in federal prison |
The last defendant, Enis Gashi, 21 is scheduled to be sentenced on February 12, 2016.
The charge against Yotam Israeli was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation; and Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The prosecution of this case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson.