Columbia Man Sentenced in Marijuana by Mail Scheme

Columbia, MD — A Columbia man was sentenced to eight years in prison and ordered to pay more than $14,000 Tuesday in connection with a bribery and drug conspiracy scheme involving the U.S. Postal Service.

Suleiman Pasha, 33, of the 5200 block of Brook Way in Columbia, bribed postal workers to divert packages of marijuana sent through the mail, delivering them to him and others, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland reported.

Pasha admitted that between 100 and 400 kilograms of marijuana were distributed during the time of the conspiracy, which took place in February and April 2014, according to the U.S. Attorney.

Packages were sent via the U.S. mail from Arizona, California, Florida and elsewhere to addresses along one letter carrier's route in Baltimore and another’s route in Columbia.

Pasha allegedly approached two U.S. Postal Service employees and offered to pay them $100 for each parcel if they would deliver those packages to him and two coconspirators.

U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Pasha to eight years in prison and three years of probation for his role in the conspiracy.

His coconspirators were previously sentenced—one for nine years in prison and one for six months in prison. The letter carriers were sentenced to three years of probation apiece.

During the operation, one postal employee received $10,000 from the coconspirators and the other was paid $4,700.

As part of his punishment, Pasha was ordered to forfeit $14,700.

Patch File Photo.