A Kansas City lawyer has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder the drug money of an undercover agent posing as a marijuana dealer.
Ronald E. Partee, 66, Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of money laundering.
In his plea, Partee admitted he conspired with co-defendants Mendy Read-Forbes, 37, and Laura Shoop, 46, who were indicted by a grand jury Jan. 24.
Both women are from Platte City.
The investigation began in March 2012 when a U.S. Secret Service agent working undercover met Read-Forbes. She was holding herself out as the owner of a nonprofit organization established to provide credit counseling to people who were in bankruptcy proceedings. In fact, she was not the legal owner but exercised control of the company’s bank account along with Partee. Shoop was an acquaintance of Read-Forbes who worked at various times for the company.
The Secret Service agent was posing as a marijuana dealer. Forbes offered to consult with Partee and to devise a scheme to launder the dealer’s drug proceeds. As part of the scheme, Forbes offered to deposit money given to her by the drug dealer into the bank accounts of Forbes and Newhard Credit Solutions or related companies and then to return the money to the dealer via checks, money orders or wire transfers. The bank accounts were in Kansas.
In addition, Forbes created a fictitious company called Maximum Lawn Care, LLC, and opened bank accounts where cash from the drug dealer was deposited.
Partee was at various times a member of the board of directors for Forbes and Newhard and a signator on FCP’s bank accounts. On April 20, 2012, Partee approved two wire transfers from the FCP account that he believed were drug funds. He sent $5,000 to a bank account of Maximus Lawn Care and $5,000 to the bank account of an undercover agent posing as a drug dealer. During a meeting May 25, 2012, at Partee’s office, the undercover agent posing as a drug dealer sought advice from Partee concerning where he could store marijuana. During the meeting, which was recorded, Partee engaged in the discussion.
Sentencing will be held at a later date. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of five years in federal prison.