[UPDATED] 5 Years For Gay Porn Star Chris Bines

3.5 million dollars worth of pot over three years led to a federal sentence for distributing marijuana & money laundering for Chris Bines and five others.

We’ve been following this case since September of 2017 (see original posts below) and last week, as first reported by Str8UpGayPorn, the former Falcon, Men, and RandyBlue star had his day of federal reckoning.

“Also today, Steven Ryan Michael Sholly, 31, of Milton, was sentenced to 59 months in prison on conspiracy to distribute marijuana.” Steven Ryan Michael Sholly is better known here as Chris Bines.

As laid out by the Justice Department website”

Between 2014 and 2017, the defendants conspired to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana in the Northern District of Florida. Johnson, William Brett Brownell, Sholly, and others in the Pensacola area ordered the marijuana from Sindylek and Remeyer, who shipped packages of marijuana from California to Florida with the assistance of DelGiacco. Johnson, William Brett Brownell, and Sholly then sold the marijuana in Florida with the assistance of Marcelonis, William Ezra Brownell, and others. The cash proceeds of the marijuana distribution were laundered through bank accounts, and later mailed to addresses in California. More than $3.5 million in cash proceeds from the sale of marijuana was laundered during the time frame of the conspiracy.

Sholly was ordered to self-surrender by 21 May and begin his near-five year sentence.

On his release in 2023, he will be on supervised release for another three years.

For those doing the math, 59 months is one month shy of five years.

[ORIGINAL POST – September 1, 2017]
As reported by the DOJ, “Additionally, seven of the defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.”

The Pensacola News Journal summarizes it as “eight defendants are facing federal charges on allegations they spent three years conspiring to deliver marijuana, in some instances more than 200 pounds at a time, and laundering money.”

 
So, in a nutshell, eight men were indicted. Four of them, including Chris, are up on charges for being involved with 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. Chris, however, is only one of the seven who is not also charged with “conspiring to launder money by transferring cash proceeds of the drug trafficking conspiracy through financial institutions,” according to NorthEscambia.com.

 
As MenOfPorn reported back in 2012, Chris was first arrested on drug related charges in August of 2012.

 

Str8UpGayPorn added, “If convicted, the seven other suspects could be sentenced to at least 10 years in prison due to the high quantity of drugs (over 100kg) and money laundering, and Bines could be sentenced to at least one year in prison. His trial in federal court is now scheduled for September 25th.”

 

The DOJ also said, the time frame as between “January 2014 and June 2017, the defendants conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana.” So while AG Sessions does have a hard on for weed, this has been going on for a while. Granted, that’s a lot of weed. But it’s still just weed. Don’t we have an opioid problem that’s “claiming as many American lives as the terrorist attacks on 9/11 every three weeks,” as stated in TheGuardian?

 
Timing is everything. After an absence from the blue screen, Chris just appeared in a scene from “Dark Matter” from Hot House with Johnny V that we looked at yesterday.

Frankly, I didn’t think he was looking his best. Now, perhaps the reason is he’s been having the munchies.

Watch this blog.

[UPDATED] October 8, 2017]

In an update to the story (see original post below) first published at the beginning of last month, as Str8UpGayPorn is reporting, gay porn star Chris Bines has waived his right to trial and has pleaded guilty to the felony drug trafficking of marijuana.

Bines faces up to one year in prison. He could receive less for entering a plea deal – but that all comes down whether he pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana. Is that why he took the plea?

As GayStarNews add, “Bines remains out of custody until his sentencing hearing on 9 January.”

Watch this blog.

 
To reunite with Chris in happier times …
Visit the Chris Bines Theater at NakedSword