Man dodges prison term in cigarette probe

BARAGA (AP) — An Upper Peninsula man involved in the sale of thousands of untaxed packs of cigarettes won’t go to prison for his crime.

Federal Judge David Lawson put John Varline, 49, on three years of supervised release, which is similar to probation.

Prosecutors were seeking 10 months in custody, which still would have been a significant break under sentencing guidelines.

In February, Varline pleaded guilty to trafficking in contraband cigarettes in Baraga in the U.P. He admitted buying more than 300,000 cigarettes from an undercover agent, although the government says the scheme was much larger.

The cigarettes were illegal because they didn’t bear a stamp confirming that Michigan’s $2-a-pack tax had been paid.

Defense attorney Jeffrey Collins said Varline recognizes his “grave mistake.”