4 plead guilty in smoke shop case

Published 4:06 pm Thursday, November 20, 2008

SEATTLE — Four Stillaguamish tribal members pleaded guilty today to federal felony charges of selling untaxed cigarettes at the Blue Stilly Smoke Shop in Arlington.

Edward Goodridge, Sr., his wife Linda Goodridge and their son Eddie Goodridge, Jr. all admitted that they pulled in $55 million in revenue between March 2003 and May 2007. Sara Schroedl, a cousin of the Goodridge’s, also said she had a part in the illegal business.

The four, all of whom hold or have held leadership positions in the Stillaguamish Indian Tribe, must now pay back more than $25 million – the amount that should have been paid in state tax on the cigarettes. They also agreed to give up 5.3 million cigarettes and about $1 million in cash that was seized from the smoke shop and other properties during a federal raid last year.

They will all be sentenced in March. They’re each facing up to 18 months in prison.