Opinion ID: 418131
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: June 1977--May 1978: the BAYOU BLUES

Text: 32 After he split with Gerdes, Hawkins set up his own marijuana smuggling venture. He bought the BAYOU BLUES through Martin Sneed, Sr. 43 He and Foster used the Cauble Enterprises plane to set up the deal. 44 33 On September 12, 1977, Cauble flew to Las Vegas with Hawkins and others. 45 Cauble arranged for Hawkins to launder $100,000 and, on his return to Denton, deposited the money in Hawkins' account at the Western State Bank. 34 On May 2, 1978, the BAYOU BLUES arrived at Sneed's Shipyard in Orange, Texas. Foster became involved in transporting and storing the marijuana at the last minute when one of the trucks did not appear. The smugglers took the marijuana to the Crockett Ranch in Crockett, Texas, which is owned by Cauble Enterprises. The next day, however, Foster told Hawkins to get the truck off the ranch. Also on May 2, Foster flew to Tampa at Cauble Enterprises' expense to buy a small boat. 35 On May 4, 1978, Cauble flew to Las Vegas. Foster had told Willis Butler, whom he owed $50,000, that Butler could have the money in old bills or the old man can go to Las Vegas and clean it up for you. Butler received $50,000 in new $100 bills and later used some of them to pay his lawyer. Twenty-five of the bills had been delivered by the Federal Reserve Bank to the Valley Bank of Nevada on May 4, 1978.