Man admits flying plane full of pot into Iola airport
A Denver man pleaded guilty Tuesday to flying an airplane loaded with 207 pounds of medical-grade marijuana into a Kansas airport last summer, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Kenneth E. Weaver, 59, will be sentenced Oct. 5 in federal court on one count of possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute the drug.
In his plea, he admitted to flying a 1979 Israel Aircraft Industries Model 1124 jet carrying the pot into the Iola airport on July 11, 2014, Grissom said. He also admitted that he was transporting the marijuana to be sold to a third party, according to his plea agreement.
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration seized the plane and $457,580 in cash, Grissom said.
Attorneys have agreed to recommend that Weaver serve a 12-month prison sentence for the crime and pay no fines or restitution, according to his plea agreement.
Iola is in Allen County, in southeast Kansas.
Reach Amy Renee Leiker at 316-268-6644 or aleiker@wichitaeagle.com. Follow her on Twitter: @amyreneeleiker.
This story was originally published July 22, 2015 at 1:59 PM with the headline "Man admits flying plane full of pot into Iola airport."