The estranged wife of a man accused of leading an illegal multimillion-dollar marijuana operation in western Maine testified at his trial Friday that she would deposit roughly $40,000 a week in cash from sale proceeds.
Alisa Sirois spoke during the third day of a federal jury trial for Lucas Sirois, whose father, Robert Sirois, is also accused of being involved in the black market marijuana operation. Their six-day jury trial started Wednesday morning in U.S. District Court of Maine in Bangor.
From around 2014 to 2019, Alisa Sirois said she worked as a grower for the marijuana operation and for a time she also managed the cash for the businesses. Once a week she would take cash, and occasionally checks, to their bank, she testified.
It was roughly $1 million per year she deposited, she said.
A teller at one bank complained that the cash gave her a headache — likely because it smelled so strongly of marijuana, Alisa Sirois said. She said she put a small air freshener in the bag next time and didn’t receive any other complaints.
After running into issues with multiple banks because they were operating marijuana businesses, Alisa Sirois said they went to the Franklin-Somerset Federal Credit Union and opened multiple accounts.
The couple signed documents saying any money deposited would not come from marjuana operations, according to Alisa Sirois’ testimony as well as documents presented during the trial.
The FBI raided properties in Farmington and Avon in July 2020. Around 2,900 marijuana plants and numerous pounds of processed marijuana were seized from both properties, according to court testimony.
Lucas Sirois is alleged to be the leader of the conspiracy. He was licensed to grow medical marijuana in Maine and is charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana; conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and impede and impair the Internal Revenue Service; bank fraud; and tax evasion.
Robert Sirois is charged with one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. He is banned from handling marijuana because he is a convicted felon.
Alisa Sirois testified after she accepted a plea agreement and pleaded guilty May 5 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. One count each of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering was dismissed. Alisa Sirois was a licensed medical marijuana caregiver. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will submit a letter to the judge asking for leniency for her sentence, as long as she does not lie on the stand.
Lucas Sirois is accused of tax fraud for two years, 2017 and 2018. In those two years personal taxes were underpaid by $416,000, IRS agent David Ledoux testified. The taxes were for Lucas and Alisa Sirois, Ledoux said.
Accountant Kenneth Allen testified that he came up with ways for Lucas Sirois to move money around to significantly lessen his tax burden. One of those ways was showing that a company made purchases in 2017, despite those never happening, Allen said.
Allen pleaded guilty Oct. 31 to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to impede and impair the IRS, while one count of tax fraud was dismissed through a plea agreement. The government will also write a letter asking for leniency at his sentencing if he does not lie during testimony.
“It was the right thing to do,” Allen said of his plea.
Alisa Sirois said the couple has been separated for roughly seven years, and she had started divorce proceedings, before federal law enforcement raided their businesses. However the divorce is paused while the criminal cases happen.
The trial is scheduled to continue Monday.