Distinguished Dallas lawyer accused of agreeing to launder drug income for a lower of the earnings

A notable Dallas lawyer and DART board member has been charged in federal court with laundering what be believed was drug cash for narcotics traffickers, according to the U.S. attorney.

Ray Jackson, 51, of The Jackson Regulation Agency, was arrested Wednesday and billed with revenue laundering, officials said.

He built his first overall look in federal courtroom in Dallas on Friday morning and was introduced pending demo. If convicted, Jackson would deal with up to 20 yrs in jail for each individual transaction, authorities explained.

He and his protection lawyer could not be achieved Friday for remark.

Jackson, a legal defense attorney, has served on the Dallas Space Speedy Transit board considering that 2017 as assistant secretary soon after becoming appointed to signify Dallas by the City Council. He represented former council member Don Hill in his 2009 federal community corruption demo. Hill was convicted.

Reps from DART and the City Council could not be attained for remark.

“Attorneys swear an oath to perform on their own with integrity and uphold the rule of regulation. Mr. Jackson rather selected to overlook his oath by allegedly laundering money for purported narcotics dealers,” acting U.S. Legal professional Prerak Shah stated in a assertion. “He explicitly instructed them on how to even further violate the regulation and profit from the devastation of our nation’s opioid epidemic, lining his own pockets in the method. He will now have to experience the penalties of his steps.”

Jackson came to the interest of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration all through its lengthy investigation of a huge opioid ring, authorities stated. An undercover agent asked a “high-degree dealer” if he understood any individual who could launder about 50 percent a million dollars’ really worth of drug proceeds, officials say, and the dealer made available in August to introduce the agent to Jackson.

“He’s gonna clear it. He’s gonna wash it,” the vendor told the agent, officers allege. “I really do not know the ins and outs. … He’s the lawyer.”

The seller took the undercover agent to Jackson’s law office on Pacific Avenue in Dallas two weeks later on, authorities explained. Throughout the meeting, the agent informed Jackson he required to launder about “half a mil a month,” in accordance to a federal grievance.

The DEA criticism explained the pursuing alleged exchange:

“It’s straight dope revenue,” the undercover agent explained.

“I never treatment the place the revenue arrives from,” Jackson claimed.

The two negotiated a 4{dcfa4b42334872b3517041d7075c48816e8f617446b245cec30e8949517ffd84} payment plus a bonus for Jackson’s services with regards to the drug revenue, prosecutors allege.

“Mr. Jackson advised placing up a ‘shell company,’ as well as a money company like a coin laundry or car or truck clean that would make it complicated for authorities to monitor proceeds,” the U.S. attorney’s office stated.

Jackson claimed he could have every little thing completely ready in two to 4 weeks, and he agreed to a $100,000 “trial run” with the guarantee of a lot more enterprise, the DEA alleges.

“This dude has been major us. We are profitable mainly because of him,” the supplier allegedly told the undercover agent after the conference. “Ray is the bomb. … He’s a thug, he’s just acquired a legislation degree.”

The undercover agent in September returned to Jackson’s office environment to give him $100,000 in income that he explained experienced appear from drug dealing, according to the DEA.

“I can get out at any issue, proper? Long as y’all got your money?” Jackson allegedly requested.

The undercover agent advised Jackson he could go away the scheme when he was completely ready, authorities stated. Jackson warned him to “speak in code” when seeking to reach him and said he would not connect something crucial in a text, according to the DEA.

“You just take treatment of me and I am gonna choose care of you,” Jackson allegedly advised the undercover agent.

The undercover agent returned to Jackson’s business office in late November to give him an supplemental $300,000 in reported drug proceeds, the federal grievance claims. Jackson asked if he’d taken measures to make absolutely sure the income didn’t smell like medications, in accordance to the DEA. The agent informed Jackson he had.

A Jackson Law Organization lender account built a number of deposits, each less than $50,000, and Jackson held his agreed-upon share of the revenue as his charge, authorities claimed.

Eduardo A. Chavez, special agent in charge of the DEA in Dallas, claimed in a statement that world-wide drug traffickers depend on funds launderers to triumph in their felony schemes.

“These illicit activities are not able to exist without the need of every single other,” Chavez said. “As alleged, Mr. Jackson employed his law degree not in the furtherance of justice but to line his own pockets, a legitimate travesty of the law.”

Jackson received his legislation degree in 1996 from Texas Southern University, and he received his Texas regulation license the exact year, according to condition bar records.

He has gained six disciplinary steps given that 2009, together with reprimands and suspensions, in accordance to public data. In the most modern scenario, the Point out Bar of Texas issued him a 12-month probationary suspension that commenced Aug. 1 linked to his dealings with a consumer in a criminal case, records display.