Feds: Marijuana Trafficker Charged With Murder-For-Hire

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) – Federal prosecutors have charged an Oregon man in what they call a murder-for-hire plot that targeted an associate who owed him $75,000 for unpaid marijuana trafficking services.

The U.S. Attorney for Oregon said Monday that 68-year-old John Tobe Larson, of Josephine County was illegally selling Oregon marijuana around the U.S. using a private plane and smuggling cash back into the state.

Court papers say authorities began investigating Larson based on a tip from an Oregon State Police informant who said Larson was engaged in “bulk-cash smuggling” Oregon marijuana out-of-state.

Documents allege Larson offered $20,000 to kill the associate and dump his body at sea and then made a down payment using proceeds from a smuggling trip to Missouri.

Larson’s attorney, Clayton Lance, did not immediately return a call Monday.