Aladimi Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug

Ali Aladimi will spend up to three years in prison after changing his mind again about pleading guilty to money laundering and drug possession charges.^[1]

Aladimi, Yemeni man living in the U.S., entered the guilty plea last week in U.S. District Court after fighting three years to overturn a previous guilty plea so he could take his case to trial.^[2] Aladimi had accused prosecutors of coercing him into a plea by threatening to bring terrorism charges against him. He has taken a new that, oddly, is almost exactly like the old one and includes no mention of terrorism.^[3]

Federal prosecutors accused him of illegally selling pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient of methamphetamine, and Aladimi was arrested in January 2003 on federal drug, fraud and money laundering charges.

"It brings an end to a long ordeal, no terrorism charges were brought and the plea agreement means none will be brought," said Aladimi's federal criminal defense attorney, Patrick Hanley.^[4]

Federal prosecutors said the new plea deal is almost identical to the one Aladimi accepted in 2004 and then convinced a judge to overturn on grounds he was coerced by prosecutors.^[5] The major difference is that changes in sentencing rules gave Judge Michael Watson latitude to impose a sentence of eight years instead of one a few years longer.^[6] Since Aladimi already has served five years awaiting trial, he will likely serve about three additional years.^[7]

Federal criminal attorney Douglas McNabb has also previously discussed money laundering in his blog, these posts can be found here.

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^[1] Dan Horn, Suspect pleads guilty - again -- to avoid terrorism charges, Cincinnati Enquirer, October 25, 2007, available at http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071025/NEWS01/710250389/1056/COL02 (last visited October 25, 2007).
^[2] Id.
^[3] Id.
^[4] Id.
^[5] Id.
^[6] Id.
^[7] Id.