Alfonzo Hector Pena Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Missoula on May 29, 2009, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch, ALFONZO HECTOR PENA, a 33-year-old resident of Kalispell, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Sentencing is set for October 2, 2009. He is currently detained.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
During 2007, several individuals moved numerous pounds of methamphetamine from Spokane, Washington to Montana, primarily in Flathead and Lincoln Counties. Jamie Lake, from the Spokane area, was the primary source of supply. Lake then distributed methamphetamine to most of the other individuals, either directly or through cooperating witnesses.
This group initially moved ounce quantities and graduated to pound quantities before dismantling. The group used rental cars to transport the methamphetamine, motel rooms as meeting places, and runners at times to transport the methamphetamine. A trailer in Kalispell became a central meeting place for drug transactions.
PENA'S primary connection to this methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy was through the other individuals. PENA and an associate went to two of the individuals to receive methamphetamine to sell in the Libby area. These individuals confirmed that PENA went to the Kalispell trailer for drug transactions. A cooperating witness also confirmed PENA'S presence at the Kalispell trailer for at least one of these drug transactions.
PENA faces possible penalties of a mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison and could be sentenced to 40 years, a $2,000,000 fine and at least 4 years supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette L. Stewart prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Northwest Montana Drug Task Force.
A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
