Pilot charged with flying $1.9 million of marijuana into Illinois wants case moved
A California man accused of flying $1.9 million worth of marijuana into Illinois in his own plane in February told police he lost his dispensary license in California and used pot proceeds to fund the aircraft, according to court records.
Matthew S. Robinson, 35, of Saugus, is charged with felony cannabis trafficking and possession of cannabis with intent to deliver, court records show.
Robinson wants his case moved to Cook County, saying authorities arrested him at an airport in Lansing, but drove 90 minutes to Kane County for a bond hearing instead of to nearby Markham.
Robinson's attorney, Stephen Komie, argues in court documents that authorities drove Robinson 69 miles to Kane on Feb. 1 instead of roughly 23 minutes and 13.7 miles to a courthouse in Markham on Kedzie Parkway.
In his motion, Komie says his client "in common parlance was Shanghaied" by police officers who were "forum shopping."
Reached by phone, Komie declined to comment on other aspects of the case, but reiterated arguments made in his court motion that authorities drove his client some 90 minutes to Kane County for a bond hearing when another location was closer.
"The court must decide whether this is a violation of Illinois law," Komie said.
According to a law enforcement synopsis in the court file, Homeland Security set up surveillance at the airport and observed Robinson leave his plane empty-handed to meet people in a vehicle. He later brought a blue cooler back to the plane.
Agents moved in and a drug-sniffing dog gave a positive sign for the plane.
Authorities seized 73 plastic bags containing 36,200 grams of marijuana, which is about 80 pounds, with an estimated $1.9 million street value, according to the synopsis.
The synopsis also stated that Robinson admitted to using dispensary funds to buy the plane.
Kane County court records initially indicated the Aurora Police Department was the arresting agency.
Alex Traverso, spokesman for California's Bureau of Cannabis Control, could not immediately provide information about Robinson's marijuana license.
Robinson is being held at the Kane County jail on $5 million bail, meaning he must post $500,000 if he is to be released while the case is pending.
If convicted, he faces six to 30 years in prison. He is next due in court on May 30.