Father, daughter arraigned in marijuana money-laundering case
Scott Beveridge/Observer-Reporter
John F. Kusajtys and his daughter, Jennifer Lee Hoberman, both of Fallowfield Township, leave a district court after being freed on bond Friday.
Tyler James Hoberman
BENTLEYVILLE 鈥� A Fallowfield Township father and daughter accused of helping to launder money from her husband蘑菇视频 marijuana dealings turned themselves in to face their first court appearance Friday.
District Judge Curtis Thompson released John F. Kusajtys, 62, and Jennifer Lee Hoberman, 31, both of 228 Hess Road, on $225,000 unsecured bonds and ordered them to surrender their passports .
Their arrests under charges filed Thursday followed the September apprehension of her husband, Tyler James Hoberman, 30, on a probation violation involving his pleading guilty in Washington County Court in March 2017 to operating a major marijuana delivery network.
Tyler Hoberman remains in Washington County jail after Thompson set his bond Thursday at $750,000.
Police accuse the three suspects of living a lavish lifestyle by skimming inflated profits of a fictitious business, 1st Choice Home Improvements of Monongahela, to purchase luxury vehicles, designer clothing and a $100,000 in-ground swimming pool.
Jennifer Hoberman蘑菇视频 attorney, David J. Berardinelli of Pittsburgh, made a case before Thompson that her husband蘑菇视频 plea agreement included a clause that she was not to be charged in the case. That element would need to be argued at a different court proceeding.
鈥淪he蘑菇视频 not a risk of flight,鈥� Berardinelli said. 鈥淪he蘑菇视频 got to take care of a 2-year-old.鈥�
Both Hobermans and Kusajtys are facing charges of running a corrupt organization, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities and conspiracy between November 2016 and September.
Court papers filed by an attorney for Jennifer Hoberman as part of a motion to recover money that investigators previously seized from the couple said that Tyler Hoberman was arrested in Ashtabula, Ohio, in early September.
The Hobermans had been having marital difficulties, so Tyler allegedly drove there to the home where both his wife蘑菇视频 parents apparently were living at the time, before police were called to intervene in a domestic dispute.
Tyler Hoberman蘑菇视频 truck allegedly contained roughly $1.265 million in cash, which the Ashtabula County sheriff蘑菇视频 office seized.
Meanwhile, a separate proceeding next week will pertain to the couple蘑菇视频 attempt to recover money that the government confiscated following Tyler Hoberman蘑菇视频 detention in September.
Berardinelli filed a motion in late November in which he sought the return of $576,000 to Jennifer Hoberman.
Two months later, Berardinelli said, his client had 鈥測et to be provided any factual basis supporting the seizure or any due process鈥� to challenge it.
To support his motion, Berardinelli said a former Internal Revenue Service special agent had prepared a forensic review of the accounts from which the money was seized.
Berardinelli went on to say that the analysis by Keri Bozich, the investigator, 鈥渢racks over 99 percent of the seized money to legitimate sources that have been documented by bank, real estate and other records.鈥�
Meagan Temple, who represents Tyler Hoberman, is also seeking the return of the money. Temple said most of it originated in the wife蘑菇视频 bank account, but 鈥渟ome funds were seized from Tyler Hoberman蘑菇视频 property and, as such, he wishes to join Jennifer蘑菇视频 motion.鈥�
A hearing pertaining to their request is scheduled for March 15 before Common Pleas Judge Gary Gilman.
Their preliminary hearing in the new cases has been scheduled for 10 a.m. April 24 before Thompson.