Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

ALBANY, N.Y. – Rosemary Coles, 71, of Troy, New York, pled guilty today to conspiring to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinols (THC).

U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; Chief Daniel DeWolf of the Troy Police Department; and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.

In pleading guilty, Coles admitted to being a member of a marijuana and THC trafficking organization that cultivated marijuana on a commercial scale in Fresno, California, and shipped thousands of kilograms of marijuana and THC from Fresno to locations throughout the United States, including the Capital Region. 

The packages of marijuana were shipped through UPS and FedEx from a shipping store in Fresno, Fast Pack & Ship, by Dwight A. Singletary II, aka “Nutt,” and McKenzie Merrialice Coles, aka “Kenzie,” who is the defendant’s daughter. Coles received the shipments of marijuana at her home in Troy and also coordinated the receipt of shipments of marijuana by Victor Turner and JuneAllyson Osman, aka “Juney,” at their homes in Troy. The marijuana in the packages, which were often sealed with eBay packing tape, was concealed in dog food containers and suitcases, and was typically picked up from Coles by David Singletary, aka “DB.”   

Coles, Turner and Osman were paid between $300 and $400 for each package of marijuana they received, and Coles routinely delivered payment to Tuner and Osman. Coles typically received payment from David Singletary. 

Coles admitted to receiving approximately 104 packages containing a total of approximately 811 kilograms (1,788 pounds) of marijuana at her home between August 2018 and May 2022. She also admitted that Turner and Osman respectively received approximately 53 and 30 packages containing a total of 382 kilograms (842 pounds) and 226 kilograms (498 pounds) of marijuana at their respective homes between March 2020 and June 2022. 

In addition to receiving and delivering packages of marijuana, Coles admitted to selling THC “edibles” shipped by her daughter, McKenzie Coles, from Fresno to Troy.  

Coles faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison and a maximum fine of $10 million at sentencing. She will also be required to serve at least five years and up to a lifetime term of supervised release. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

Coles was charged in an indictment with Dwight and David Singletary, McKenzie Coles, Turner, Osman and 18 other people charging marijuana distribution and money laundering conspiracies, firearms offenses and other crimes. Dwight Singletary, David Singletary, McKenzie Coles and Osman have pled not guilty and are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. 

Turner and three other defendants, Kristle Walker, Latrice Mumphrey and Sammy Olague, previously pled guilty and are pending sentencing. 

The ATF, DEA, Troy Police Department, and HSI are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cyrus P.W. Rieck and Dustin C. Segovia are prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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