Man involved in multi-million dollar Harrisburg marijuana trafficking and dealer ring sentenced to 9 years in prison

June 7, 2024 – The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jose Laboy, 40, of Susquehanna Township, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 9 years in prison by District Court Judge American Jennifer P. Wilson for her role in an affair. a marijuana ring worth several million dollars.

According to U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Laboy previously pleaded guilty to being part of a group that received marijuana shipped from California sources and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The drug trafficking group operated out of Fastlane Auto Sales, located on Paxton Street in Harrisburg. During this period, hundreds of packages filled with marijuana were shipped from California to Harrisburg. The group mailed money to California. They used a sophisticated system of GPS tracking devices, which they placed in their packages, to track their medications and money.

Fastlane Group learned that a postal worker was stealing their marijuana while it was secretly shipped through the U.S. Postal Service. To stop the suspected thief, they shot up a car in Harrisburg, a home in Susquehanna Township and a home in Steelton. They also robbed and assaulted the postal worker at gunpoint.

Judge Wilson found that Laboy was responsible for trafficking between 100 and 400 kilograms of marijuana from 2017 to May 2020. Judge Wilson noted that Laboy was not responsible for the violence associated with the Harrisburg drug trafficking group.

Co-defendant Christopher Texidor, 36, of Harrisburg, underwent a jury trial and was convicted in May 2024 of drug trafficking and weapons offenses. He awaits judgment.

Co-defendant William Kuduk, 37 of Harrisburg, pleaded guilty to marijuana trafficking and cocaine trafficking associated with the Fastlane group. Co-defendant Justin Laboy, 36, of Harrisburg, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic marijuana and conspiracy to use a firearm to facilitate drug trafficking. Co-defendant Julio Arellano, 33, of Harrisburg, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic marijuana and conspiracy to use a firearm in drug trafficking. They are all awaiting sentencing.

Co-defendant Jonathan Cobaugh, 25, of Harrisburg, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and wire fraud related to a pandemic-related fraud scheme. He was sentenced to 63 months in prison on May 29, 2024. Co-defendant Jamie Valenzuela, 32 of Santa Ana, California, pleaded guilty to being a source of marijuana from California for the conspiracy. He was sentenced to 57 months in prison on February 8, 2024.

These cases were investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Susquehanna Township Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Consiglio is prosecuting the cases.