Jack Paskin, 35, from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, has been sentenced to nine months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his role in laundering proceeds from illegal drug sales. The sentencing took place on September 16, 2025.
Court documents show that between mid-2019 and August 31, 2020, Paskin helped ship large quantities of marijuana to Mullens, West Virginia. He sent the shipments to addresses provided by Merrick Rice, who collected the packages and sold the marijuana to others for distribution in southern West Virginia.
Paskin controlled or had access to bank accounts where proceeds from these sales were deposited. On February 24, 2021, he withdrew $30,000 in cash from one such account. He admitted knowing that this money came from illegal drug sales.
Merrick Rice, 45, of Mullens, and Miranda Aliff, 33, of Rock Creek also pleaded guilty on May 7, 2024. They admitted to structuring deposits totaling $228,000 to avoid federal reporting requirements for currency transactions. Rice was sentenced on October 21, 2024 to one year and three months in prison with three years of supervised release; Aliff received five years of federal probation.
“Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).”
The sentence was imposed by Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
Further information about this case can be found through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia and related court documents are available via PACER by searching Case No. 5:24-cr-122.
