11:24 AM, Mar. 15, 2012 

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20120315/NEWS/120315008/Convicted-Forest-drug-ringleader-arraigned-in-money-laundering-case?odyssey=tab%7Cmostpopular%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

The so-called ringleader of a large marijuana distribution operation who is already serving a lengthy federal prison sentence was arraigned today on new charges.

Jessie Jerome Hall, 38, of Forest and others were charged earlier this month with conspiring to launder drug proceeds and with money laundering and evasion of Internal Revenue Service reporting requirements, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Last year, Hall, whom authorities branded a drug kingpin, was handed a 12-year sentence in a drug trafficking criminal enterprise case.

The new charges resulted from a continuation of the investigation that led to Hall being sent to prison.

In addition to Hall, his sister, Sandra Hall, and another man, Lornell Von Moore, were arraigned. Like Hall, his sister and Moore are already serving prison terms.

During his arraignment today in U.S. District Court, U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda Anderson asked Hall if he had any assets to hire his own lawyer.

Hall replied, "no, the government got it all," drawing chuckle from the judge and others in the courtroom.

As part of the investigation into the criminal enterprise, IRS Criminal Investigations seized $853,859.26 in cash, 10 tractor trucks, eight tractor trailers, 12 personal cars including luxury vehicles, jewelry, three houses and thousands of pounds of marijuana.

Hall had to be brought back to Jackson from a federal prison in Oakdale, La, to be arraigned on the new charges.