Carlos David Nogales Sr. was sentenced to 18.5 years in prison followed by 7 years of probation for his involvement in a $2.8 million drug and money laundering scheme.
Between 2011 and 2015, Nogales Sr. operated a nationwide money laundering organization that employed more than a dozen people to launder the proceeds from marijuana that had been shipped from Arizona to various east-coast cities.
In April 2018, a Pima County jury found Nogales Sr. guilty of 35 felony counts including Fraud, Forgery, Money Laundering, Controlling a Criminal Enterprise, and Possession of Marijuana for Sale.
The investigation began after a Department of Economic Security audit revealed that Nogales fraudulently received $30,000 in state benefits by not disclosing income and assets on his applications.
Nogales Sr. was also ordered to pay $3,790 in restitution to DES, $15,009 to AHCCCS, and $12,409 to Social Security.