A Norwood man is among 13 people from across the country charged in a marijuana drug bust that netted 1,100 pounds of pot and more than $888,000 in cash, authorities announced Monday.

        Robert Branam, 25, is charged with felony possession of marijuana. He is accused of involvement in a ring that supplied the drug to Hamilton County and other parts of the Midwest.

        Hamilton County Sheriff's deputies said he was a local distributor for the "sizeable” operation. Arrest reports indicate he was arrested with about 80 pounds of marijuana and $8,000 in cash at a Sharonville hotel on Jan. 23.

        Mr. Branam had served about 18 months in prison on charges of preparation of drugs for sale and one count of drug possession. He was released June 2000, state prison records show.

        The case unfolded when sheriff's deputies made a traffic stop Jan. 23, arresting three men from California who had allegedly delivered marijuana to Mr. Branam.

        The arrests eventually led to a multistate investigation and arrests of 12 of the 13 suspects, who are from California, Michigan, Bowling Green and Columbus, Ohio. One suspect, Todd Larkins, is still at large, police said.

        The operation was primarily based in California, authorities said.

        Eleven of the suspects are being extradited to face felony charges in Hamilton County court, ranging from conspiracy to possession of marijuana to trafficking in drugs. Two suspects face federal charges in Michigan.

        It was not known how much of the pot seized was earmarked for Hamilton County, authorities said. It has a $1.6 million street value.

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