Daniel Hooker, a 35-year-old resident of Los Angeles, has entered a guilty plea to charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering. This announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.
Court documents reveal that between August 2023 and March 2024, Hooker and three co-conspirators engaged in financial transactions with funds they believed were from cocaine trafficking. Their belief stemmed from information provided by an individual working under law enforcement direction. On two occasions during this period, Hooker met the individual in Rancho Cordova parking lots and accepted $100,000 in cash for laundering purposes. Following these meetings, Hooker transferred funds from his bank account to another account specified by the individual as part of the laundering process. The conspirators reportedly handled approximately $940,000 in supposed drug trafficking proceeds, successfully laundering about $811,000.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Thuesen and Whitnee Goins are leading the prosecution.
U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins is set to sentence Hooker on February 21, 2025. He faces a potential maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. However, the final sentence will be determined based on statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines that consider various elements.
