Details emerge in both cases

A Minnesota man has been arrested and charged as a co defendant.

Jason Tyrell Lee, of Prior Lake Minn., appeared in Great Falls Federal Court after being taken into custody by Federal Marshalls.

Lee, 45, is charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute oxycodone, possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering.

He pled not guilty and will be incarcerated pending a court motion.

Lee is the second person to be charged in this case. Kaycee Menz,was already arraigned on the same charges. She pled innocent to federal financial and drug felonies.

If convicted of the most serious crime, Lee can be sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Allegations

Charging documents allege, starting in June 2014 and continuing through August 2019, Lee and Menz possessed drug charges including methamphetamine and oxycodone.

Documents state the oxycodone was sold from June 2014 to May 2020.

The government further allege the defendants, from in or about November of 2018, and continuing through at least August of 2020 and Menz are accused of “conducting financial transactions affecting commerce,” which in transactions involved illegally obtained money being sent through a wire transfer service, documents state.

Manner of Conspiracy

Documents allege Lee and Menz, as well as two Jane Doe women, and Above Average Marketing held bank accounts with Wells Fargo Bank. Proceeds generated from illegal drug transactions were designed in whole or in part, to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of proceeds of specified unlawful activity.

It’s alleged the defendants in this case transferred to one currency generated from the specified unlawful activity described. Everything was arranged for other individuals were sent to receive currency on their behalf, documents state.

It was further part of the conspiracy Menz and Lee deposited currency generated from the specified unlawful activity into accounts at Montana branches of Wells Fargo Bank, and transferred money electronically to other institutions held in the name of ‘Above Average Marketing.’

Lee and Menz are also charged with depositing currency into an Independence Bank account to pay for rent leased in an unlisted address in Poplar, Mont., documents state.

The indictment further goes into details of the time period and what happened.

Starting on July 7, 2018, there was a documented MoneyGram transaction between Lee in Minnesota and a Jane Doe, who sent him $500.

On July 25, 2018, there was a $620 MoneyGram transfer from John Doe One in Montana to Menz in Minn., documents state.

On July 27, 2018, Menz used MoneyGram to transfer $500 to Lee in Minnesota.

On January 22, 2019, there was another documented from Western Union, this for $1,000, by a John Doe in Montana to Jane Doe One in Minnesota.

On September 28, 2019, Another Transfer from John Doe two in Montana to John Doe three in Minnesota was engaged, this one also for $1,000.

Other charges include three separate cash deposits: one on June 3, 2016 for $850; another on August 22, 2019 for $1,000; and December 13, 2019 for $1,000, documents state.

Further charges include transfers from Menz’s Wells Fargo account to Lee Bank of America Account for $3,000; Menz is further alleged to have sent $9,000 to Above Average Marketing Bank of America and another transfer from Menz to Above Average Marketing Bank for $2,000, documents state.