Troy duo plead guilty in nationwide pot trafficking conspiracy

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Two Troy residents have pleaded guilty to offenses in nationwide marijuana trafficking and money laundering conspiracies. LaFay Pearson, 23, and Alyssa White, 31, each face up to 20 years in prison.

According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Pearson admitted to being a member of a marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) trafficking organization, making marijuana on a commercial scale in Fresno, California, and shipped thousands of kilograms of marijuana and THC to locations across the country, including the Capital Region. She would receive packages to her Troy home and was paid between $300 and $400 in cash per package of marijuana received.

The DOJ said Pearson admitted to working with her brother between May 2020 and January 2021, receiving 11 packages with 159 pounds of marijuana. White admitted to conspiring with others involved to launder the proceeds by purchasing cashier's checks.

The DOJ says both face up to 20 years in prison, with Pearson facing a term of supervised release of three years to life and a fine of up to $1M. White faces a fine of up to $500,000 and may have to serve up to three years of supervised release.