Milton Illegal Pot Delivery Service Owner Sentenced To 4 Years

MILTON, MA — After owning and operating a multi-million dollar unlicensed marijuana delivery service, a Milton woman must face four years behind bars.

On Tuesday, Deana Martin, 53, was sentenced to four years in prison and three years of supervised release by a judge. She was also ordered to pay $528,146 in restitution.

Martin owned and managed Northern Herb, a website offering marijuana products for sale without requiring customers to provide proof of a medical marijuana card.

Northern Herb said they provided medical marijuana to unattended locations, like a front door or hallway, where anyone could have accessed it.

With locations in Canton, Milton, Foxborough and Hyde Park, Northern Herb employed at least 25 workers.

Martin and her co-worker Tatiana Fridkes were indicted in May 2019 in connection with their management of Northern Herb from 2015 to 2018.

Martin pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion, one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and three counts of money laundering.

On Sept. 10, 2021, Fridkes was sentenced by a judge to time served and two years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Fridkes was also ordered to pay restitution of $82,000.

According to court documents, Northern Herb's revenue exceeded $14 million from May 2016 through July 2018.

Northern Herb did not withhold or pay taxes on its millions of dollars in marijuana sales and did not pay taxes on its profits. Much of the cash collected by Northern Herb from customers was used to pay its suppliers and its workers.

In paying cash wages, Northern Herb did not withhold, remit, or pay any payroll or income taxes. Northern Herb did not report worker wages to the IRS via Form 941, nor did it issue W-2s or 1099s to its workers.