Tennessee man smuggled cannabis from Oregon, prosecutors say

Greeneville, Tenn. – A man was convicted of charges related to the smuggling of marijuana from Oregon to Tennessee.

The U.S. Department of Justice said 35-year-old Kingsport, Tennessee resident Chad Allen Dorton transported over $1 million in cash to O’Brien and Cave Junction, Oregon from Tennessee to buy high-grade marijuana.

The then smuggled between 700 and 800 pounds of the marijuana back to Tennessee.

The product had a street value estimated at over $3.3 million.

The DOJ said Dorton conspired with nine other during the smuggling activity between July 2013 and November 2016.

Evidence presented at trial showed Dorton and his co-conspirators purchased, transported and distributed between 2,500 and 3,700 pounds of marijuana, with a street value of $12 million to $18 million.

All of the marijuana from Oregon was distributed in Kingsport, Tennessee and the surrounding areas.

Following Dorton’s three day trial, he was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute more than 1000 kilograms of marijuana.

While he has yet to be sentenced, the 35-year-old faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison up to life.

Josephine County’s Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) team collaborated with multiple authorities during the course of the investigation.

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