FEDERAL CHARGES LODGED

Ton Of Marijuana: Hogansburg Trio Cited In Drug Conspiracy

HOGANSBURG - Three Hogansburg men are facing the possibility of life
prison sentences after being charged Wednesday with conspiring to
distribute more than a ton of marijuana.

Alan R. Jacobs, 30, of 18 Laughing Road, James Terrance, 61, of 64
McGee Road, and James Terrance Jr., 28, same address, were arrested
early Wednesday by federal agents with the assistance of state police.
They each were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with
the intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana.

The men are charged in a sealed indictment returned by federal grand
jury with conspiring with others who have not yet been arrested to
distribute the marijuana, primarily in Albany, Schenectady and
Montgomery counties, according to Terrence M. Kelly, assistant U.S.
Attorney in Albany. The alleged conspiracy took place between Sept.
2002 ant the present, according to the indictment.

The men face mandatory prison sentences if convicted as charged, Mr.
Kelly said. The minimum mandatory sentence is 10 years, and the
maximum is life in prison.

The men also face potential fines of up to $4 million each if
convicted, Mr. Kelly said.

They were arraigned Wednesday afternoon before judge David Homer in
U.S. District Court, Albany. They were ordered held without bail
pending a detention hearing Monday.

Additional arrests are expected, Mr. Kelly said.

"You can anticipate that there are people in the indictment whose
names have not been unsealed at this time," Mr. Kelly said.

In a related case, a north Lawrence woman was jailed in Malone on
Wednesday after being charged with conspiring with her husband to
smuggle hydroponic marijuana into the U.S. He is expected to face
federal charges, a prosecutor there said.

Melissa A. Francis, 34, of 15 Grove St., North Lawrence, was committed
to Franklin County jail in lieu of $25,000 bail or a $50,000 bond
following arraignment in Franklin County Court. She is charged with
first-degree criminal possession of marijuana, second-degree hindering
prosecution, forth-degree conspiracy and endangering the welfare of a
child, according to Assistant District Attorney John D. Delehanty.

Mrs. Francis is alleged to have conspired with her husband, Irving
Francis, to smuggle marijuana into the U.S. and with endangering her
15-year-old son by allowing him to accompany her husband on smuggling
trips, Mr. Delehanty said. The allegations are based on the
transcripts of three to four months of wire taps, he said.