A South Carolina man who pleaded guilty to shipping kilos of marijuana through the mail could be fined as much as $8 million and spend life in prison, federal prosecutors said Friday.
Andre Eaddy, age 37, of Simpsonville, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to posses with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, court records show.
Prosecutors allege at a change of plea hearing that Eaddy coordinated with individuals in California and Colorado — states where recreational use of marijuana is legal — to transport kilogram quantities of marijuana for distribution in South Carolina.
Eaddy made monthly trips to pay for or procure marijuana from other co-conspirators, according to Sherri Lydon, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina.
"Mr. Eaddy would then have such purchases mailed back to South Carolina, to addresses associated with himself or various individuals, where such marijuana was then redistributed," Lydon said in a release.
Lydon said the evidence indicates that more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana was shipped into the state.
The maximum penalty Eaddy can receive is a fine of $8,000,000 and/or life imprisonment, plus a special assessment of $100, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
