Toqwanda Ketchmore, known as "Quannie," has pled guilty to charges of marijuana trafficking in Albany, New York. The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman along with several law enforcement officials including Bryan Miller from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Frank A. Tarentino III from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Troy Police Chief Daniel DeWolf, and Erin Keegan from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Ketchmore admitted her involvement in a marijuana and THC trafficking organization that operated on a commercial scale out of Fresno, California. The operation involved shipping large quantities of marijuana across the United States, including to New York's Capital Region.
She acknowledged receiving packages sent by Dwight A. Singletary II and McKenzie Merrialice Coles from a Fresno-based shipping store to her residence in Troy. These shipments were coordinated with David Singletary who collected them upon arrival.
The investigation revealed that Dwight Singletary marketed marijuana under the brand "Nutty Packs" and maintained an Instagram account named "nutty_packz." Ketchmore followed this account which featured images related to marijuana products.
Between November 2020 and May 2022, Ketchmore received 44 packages totaling approximately 201 kilograms of marijuana at her home.
Ketchmore could face up to 20 years in prison along with fines reaching $1 million and supervised release ranging from three years to life. Sentencing will be determined based on legal guidelines and case specifics.
Charged alongside Ketchmore were Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, Coles, and others for alleged conspiracies involving drug distribution and money laundering among other offenses. They have pleaded not guilty at this stage.
Sixteen additional defendants have also entered guilty pleas in connection with this case.
The ATF, DEA, Troy Police Department, and HSI are leading the investigation while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Dustin C. Segovia handle prosecution efforts.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative aimed at dismantling high-level criminal networks through collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies.