3 plead guilty in cocaine trafficking case

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By Ann McGlynn | Saturday, April 19, 2008 |

Three people – one who ran a 10-year-long cocaine trafficking ring and two who helped him – pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in Davenport.

Mario Murray pleaded guilty to being an organizer of an estimated $3 million operation that included his hometown of Chicago as well as the Quad-Cities. His mother, Jeanette Murray, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy for helping hide at least $350,000 in drug proceeds. Tina Hollins, a postal worker also living in the Chicago area, pleaded guilty to being a currier for Mario Murray.

A fourth person, Sohrab Tebyanian, is accused of money laundering conspiracy. He was set to plead guilty last week, but that hearing was cancelled and his trial remains scheduled. Tebyanian is the owner of Andriana Furs, which has a shop on Chicago’s famed Michigan Avenue. Tebyanian lives in a condo on Michigan Avenue as well.

Friday’s pleas included the forfeiture of the three defendants’ interest in an $82,000 Audi A8, a $649,000 house and a $42,000 1968 Chevy Chevelle, along with Jeanette Murray’s interest in the house in which she and her husband raised their son on South Sangamon Street. Officials also are hoping to seize the defendants’ interests in three other properties, a handful of luxury cars and several bank accounts. One of those properties includes Mario Murray’s childhood home.

According to court documents:

Mario Murray first came to the attention of law enforcement in 1996, when Chicago police officers found crack cocaine and a gun in the home he shared with his parents.

In 2000, an officer from the Illinois State Police stopped Murray on Interstate 80 near Geneseo, Ill. The officer found $35,000 in cash in Murray’s back seat. He seized the cash, which Murray said he was planning to buy a car with. Murray did not dispute the seizure, however.

About that time, Murray was working for Andriana Furs. The owner, Tebyanian, told federal authorities that Murray worked there for six months in 2000. However, W-2 forms were filed for Murray by Andriana Furs from 2000 onward.

Tebyanian told authorities they must be fakes. Before Tebyanian let Murray go in 2000, Murray asked Tebyanian if Tebyanian could continue to give him a paycheck and that he would pay him back the money. Murray wanted to show legitimate income, Tebyanian said.

Murray reported he worked for D and J Realty remodeling homes since 2001, documents show. D and J owns one apartment building in Chicago.

Jeanette Murray, who is in “poor physical health” with hypertension, lupus, sarcadosis, asthma and arthritis, is a partner in D and J, court documents say.

Mario Murray claimed to have a net monthly income of $4,000 doing rehab work, documents say. However, U.S. Magistrate Thomas Shields, in deciding to place him into custody before trial, noted his financial obligations for real estate and cars alone topped $10,000 a month.

Ann McGlynn can be contacted at (563) 383-2336 or amcglynn@qctimes.com.