Columbia man sentenced for marijuana conspiracy
A Columbia man was sentenced to two years in prison on Monday morning after he previously pleaded guilty to being part of a conspiracy to sell marijuana.
Nader Robert Osama Yanis, the son of a Columbia coffee shop owner, was originally indicted in March 2018 after a raid at his father’s home.
The federal judge sentenced Yanis to two years in prison and three years of supervised probation on Monday.
His father, Osama Yanis, pleaded guilty in December to marijuana distribution conspiracy and possessing guns in furtherance of a drug trafficking conspiracy. His sentencing hearing has not yet been set.
Columbia police originally searched Osama Yanis’s home after witnessing the delivery of a crate that contained 72 pounds of marijuana. Nader Yanis was arrested during a traffic stop after he left the home.
When officers stopped Nader Yanis in his car, they found more marijuana and a small amount of white substance believed to be cocaine.
Seven others, including lobbyist Eapen Thampy, were indicted as part of the drug scheme.
Federal authorities say one of those involved supplied the group with high-grade marijuana from 2015 to 2018. That product was allegedly distributed to Augustus Roberts, who was killed in December 2017 in east Columbia. The Drug Enforcement Administration claims someone stole more than 800 pounds of marijuana and 3,199 THC-filled pens from the home.
