Don't know if they rode SS/FG

https://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/n...a/12489186.htm

12 named in alleged bike-pot operation

They are charged with running a service that delivered marijuana via couriers in Center City.

By John Shiffman

Inquirer Staff Writer

From 1999 to 2003, a gang that disguised itself as a legitimate bicycle courier service delivered marijuana to Center City residents who ordered drugs by pager, authorities said.

A federal grand jury indictment unsealed Wednesday charged one New Jersey man and 11 Philadelphians, including a Shakespearean actor who has taught at Arcadia University, with conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the gang provided customers with a pager number and a personal identification number. Dispatchers allegedly returned the pages, took orders over the phone, and called couriers with instructions.

The organization netted about $250,000 a year, according to Barbra Roach, acting DEA special agent in charge in Philadelphia.

In June and July 2003, authorities said, an undercover federal agent ordered and was delivered several plastic containers containing three or four grams of marijuana. Each purchase cost $100.

The organization's alleged ringleader is Ryan Whiteoak, 32, of Philadelphia.

The grand jury alleged that Christian Lisak, 33, the actor; Brian Callahan, 28; and David Rosenberg, 30, "managed the day-to-day business... by recruiting, training, and paying bicycle delivery couriers to deliver marijuana."

Amy Ilnicki, 28, and Leah Murray, 29, were charged as dispatchers. Charged with being couriers were Michael McCann, 30; Brian Marr, 28; Michael Sanders, 31; Ben Gaydos, 26; Stephen Breese, 25; and Jeff Cuellar, age unknown.

Rosenberg, McCann and Lisak surrendered this week and were released on $10,000 bail each. The others remain at large, Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel A. Velez said.

All the defendants are from Philadelphia, except Callahan, who lives in Bridgeton, N.J.

If convicted, each of the dozen defendants faces a five-year minimum mandatory sentence, according to the DEA.

Carmen C. Nasuti, who represents McCann, a housepainter, said his client's alleged role was so minor that a lengthy sentence appears inappropriate.

"It seems to me that five years is a long time for someone who was just a bike delivery guy, who had an addiction and now has been clean for a year," Nasuti said.

Other defense lawyers did not return phone calls yesterday.

Was Kevin Bacon involved?

someone watched way too much quicksilver. laurence fishburne!

From the looks of this you'd think this was the only problem in Philly.
Lighten up.... big f**ing deal, over dime bags or quarters ????!!!!

It was a good idea up until the moment they got caught

$100 1/8's...

damn, i'm in the wrong city, but middle finger yet again to the dea, i'm sure the local residents can now go about their day to day lives in complete and absolute safety, now that you've got these hardened criminals off the streets

Now their customers have to go back to getting their weed from sampson!

i heard they did ride fixed... and that the quality was without compare in the city... just what i heard

we need messenger service here in atlantic city!

i read an article about a ring in NYC that apparently had incredibly high quality stuff as well - different varieties, standing orders, etc. i think it was in the NYTimes magazine a few years ago (no names, etc. were used). sort of silly, but from an organization and administrative perspective it was really remarkable.

any of the philly messengers know any of these guys?

There was an MTV special a couple years ago about the War on Pot by Serena Altschul. She interviewed a bike courier for it (waist down, of course.). I was able to see that the courier was riding a track bike, and had the Krypto NYC Chain around her waist.

Narc!

hahaha

Anybody else notice that the DEA agent's last name was Roach?

That's such a cool idea. That'd be a fun job too... Oh well... And, it's not like they were delivering coke or something... I mean, it's just pot.

sucks, bad news for those guys it's a bit of a tough job too.

I guess this means the War of Drugs has been won! Pot loses; alcohol, tobacco, and expensive unnecessary pharmaceuticals WIN!

Easily worth the billions of dollars it cost to put all those non-violent "criminals" in penitentiaries.

At least one of the guys-or somebody from Philly with the same name-competed at the 2005 CMWC.

Nothing involving pot should carry a mandatory minimum of 5 YEARS. A DUI gets your license taken away and a fine, and how is this any worse than that? Drug laws defy logic.

haha great lawyering job . . . admitting guilt even before the trial starts

the second, third, fourth and fifth DUI's do as well. sadly, it's not until the sixth and seventh that they stop slapping you on the wrist and impose (gasp!) freeway cleanup!!!

Hey, someone's gotta feed the prison-industrial complex...

Some friends of mine started up a similar service in CA delivering medicinal mj to clients who are too sick to leave home...they have personal prescriptions as protection from local and state cops, though, and no jury in this area would convict them once their customers (mostly cancer patients) took the stand. They only work with seriously ill folks, though, and don't even charge some of the poorer clients for delivery!

also in CA you can be signed on to a patient's prescription as a care-giver/provider for those that are too ill to travel to pick up their medicine (at least they used to allow that option). from what i gather, this could work in the favor of the delivery service...