CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — A multi-defendant RICO case came to a close in Cherokee County on Wednesday, January 15 as the final defendant in the case entered a negotiated guilty plea deal.
Gina Marie Moson, 49, was sentenced to two years to serve on probation.
The five other defendants entered negotiated guilty pleas throughout 2022-2024 and are currently serving out their respective sentences.
- Jeffrey Moson, 46, negotiated guilty plea on December 6, 2024, to violation of RICO Act, sentenced to three years to serve on probation.
- Jessica Rose Weaver, 38, negotiated guilty plea on April 19, 2023, to violation of RICO Act, sentenced to three years to serve on probation.
- Cathy Rebecca Hudson, 41, negotiated guilty plea on June 15, 2023, to violation of RICO Act, sentenced to two years to serve on probation.
- Leslie Joann Archambault, 49, negotiated guilty plea on January 26, 2023, to violation of RICO Act, sentenced to 15 years, with the first three years to serve in prison and the remainder to serve on probation.
- Bryan Omae Chirangu, 35, negotiated guilty plea on December 13, 2022, to fraud or theft in obtaining controlled substance and possession of a scheduled IV controlled substance, sentenced to five years to serve on probation.
“By utilizing the RICO Act in the prosecution of this case, we were able to attribute specific acts committed to each co-conspirator while clearly showing that one defendant was the mastermind behind the enterprise,” said District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to combat all forms of organized criminal activity in Cherokee County.”
The case involved using a pad stolen from a doctor to illegally obtain prescription drugs such as Adderall, Alprazolam, Hydrocodone, Phentermine, and Tramadol.
The leader of the group, 49-year-old Leslie Joann Archambault, was sentenced on January 26, 2023 to three years in prison and 12 years on probation.
“This defendant has a history of committing fraud in one form or another, manipulating and using family members and friends to acquire medications that were not legally prescribed to her,” said Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Damion Overstreet, of the Gang and Organized Crime Unit. “In this case, she tried to outsmart authorities by recruiting other individuals to assist her in her scheme. Fortunately, an extensive CMANS investigation put a stop to this organized crime.”
Law enforcement first became aware of the illegal activity in September of 2022 when The Cherokee Multi Agency Narcotics Squad (CMANS) determined that a Roswell medical practice discovered that Archambault, as a former employee, had been filling prescriptions, for her co-defendants in the enterprise, using a doctor’s credentials.