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Man Pleads Guilty In Marijuana Smuggling Operation

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 21, 2008

  Ricardo Ashmeade

An investigation that began in part when police learned marijuana was stored in a Pinellas Park warehouse has led to a plea of guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana.

Ricardo Ashmeade, also known as Rasheed Robinson, entered the plea today, according to the U.S. Department of Justice news release.

Ashmeade, 37, of Toronto, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years behind bars, a fine of up to $8 million and 10 years of supervised release.

He and others took marijuana from Arizona to the East Coast, including Canada and Florida, and sold the drugs, according to the Justice Department. Pinellas Park police learned in early 2006 about the drugs, and about the same time, Phoenix police investigated whether Ashmeade was running a marijuana stash house in Phoenix.

A search warrant in Phoenix in April 2006 led to the seizure of $605,000 and 1,000 pounds of marijuana.

Also in April 2006, the Drug Enforcement Administration and local law enforcement agencies pulled over a tractor trailer leaving the Pinellas Park warehouse and, seizing nearly $420,000. Three days after that, investigators seized about $990,000 from someone leaving the warehouse.

"Further investigation determined that Ashmeade was part of an international marijuana smuggling organization that distributed thousands of pounds of marijuana throughout the United States and Canada," the news release states. "The plea agreement also lists multiple bank accounts, houses, and vehicles, totaling more than $2-million that Ashmeade has agreed to forfeit as being illicit proceeds of his illegal marijuana activity."

St. Petersburg police, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the U.S. Marshals Service also helped with the investigation.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

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