News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 27, 2004

Sentences Imposed in Kidnapping Plot of Federal Agent

SEP 27 -- United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced the sentencing of two San Antonio residents for their roles in an undercover drug bust that resulted in the attempted murder and kidnapping of a federal law enforcement officer.

Appearing before United States District Judge Royal Furgeson in San Antonio today, 31 year-old Gerardo Sanchez of San Antonio, Texas was sentenced to 444 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release; co-defendant 30-year-old Ana Teresa Ortega was sentenced on Thursday to 205 months in federal prison. Earlier this year, Sanchez pled guilty to Conspiracy to and Assaulting an Officer of the United States with a Deadly Weapon, Conspiracy to and Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, Brandishing a Firearm in a Crime of Violence and Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.

Ana Teresa Ortega plead guilty to Assault of an Officer of the United States with a Deadly Weapon, Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, Brandishing a Firearm in a Crime of Violence and Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine. “Drug dealers with guns are a real danger to our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton. “This case could have been a real tragedy. Sanchez and Ortega deserve each day of the sentences they received.”

In December 2003, an undercover officer agreed to purchase two kilograms of cocaine from Ana Teresa Ortega for $31,000. Ortega arrived at the agreed upon location, a south side mall, with Nicole Marie Koenig to transact the drug deal. At that time, Ortega’s co-conspirators, Gerardo Sanchez, John Michael Pope, and arrived on the scene in a Cadillac Escalade. Gerardo Sanchez, wearing a bullet-proof vest, pushed a handgun into the uncover officer’s stomach and ordered him to sit in the passenger seat of the undercover officer’s vehicle. Sanchez, then got behind the wheel of the vehicle and attempted to drive off. The undercover officer disarmed Sanchez and subsequently arrested him after Sanchez fled the scene on foot. Co-defendants, John Michael Pope and Michael Christopher Sanchez fled the scene in the Cadillac Escalade but were boxed in by law enforcement before they were able to escape.

Earlier this year, after pleading guilty, John Michael Pope and Michael Christopher Sanchez were sentenced to109 months and 150 months in federal prison, respectively. Nicole Maire Koenig was sentenced to 84 months.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Narcotics Task Force and prosecuted for the government by Assistant United States Attorney Joey Contreras.