2 women plead guilty to participation in marijuana conspiracy connected to the murders of 3 men

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Two women have pleaded guilty to marijuana trafficking crimes. The investigation is being conducted by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Danielle Cook, 37, of Rochester, pleaded guilty on Sept. 13 to a felony charge of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both.

Tenika Early, 28, of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. That charge carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, a fine of $2,000,000 or both.

The defendants were indicted in August 2010 along with six others for their participation in a marijuana distribution organization responsible for the large scale distribution of marijuana in Rochester and Columbus.

Three of the co-defendants in the case, who are awaiting further court proceedings, were also charged with murdering three men in Greece, N.Y., on March 9, 2010, in furtherance of the marijuana conspiracy. Richard Anderson, Andrew Wright and Aston Johnson are charged with murdering Robert Moncriffe, Mark Wisdom and Christopher Green. Specifically, Anderson, Wright and Johnson are charged with possessing and discharging firearms and murdering the three victims in furtherance of a marijuana conspiracy. The defendants are also charged with intentionally killing the three victims while engaged in the marijuana conspiracy.

Of the eight defendants, Cook and Early are the third and fourth to plead guilty.

The pleas are the result of an investigation by ICE HSI, FBI, New York State Police, Greece Police Department and Rochester Police Department.

Danielle Cook will be sentenced on Dec. 13, 2011. Tenika Early will be sentenced on Dec. 14, 2011.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Everardo A. Rodriguez, Western District of New York, is prosecuting the case.