California Man Sentenced to 12 Years In Meth Trafficking Conspiracy

KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A California man who was convicted on federal methamphetamine trafficking charges in Kansas was sentenced Friday to 146 months in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

Tino Soriano, 33, Coachella, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. In his plea, he admitted that on March 22, 2012, he was one of the occupants of a car that fled from a house in the 800 block of South 72nd Street in Kansas City, Kan., after investigators made a controlled delivery of a package containing almost two pounds of methamphetamine. Investigators had seized the package at a FedEx facility in Kansas City after a drug dog alerted to the contents. Soriano and two co-defendants left the package behind because they realized they were under surveillance.

Officers pursued Soriano’s vehicle, eventually finding it abandoned at a residence in the 16000 block of 182nd Street in Tonganoxie, Kan. A birth certificate and other documents belonging to Soriano were found in the car. In addition, investigators learned that on March 21, 2012, Soriano was present with co-defendant Leslie Kingsley during a drug deal at a strip club off K-7 Highway in Bonner Springs, Kan. Kingsley fronted 14 grams of meth to co-defendant Kristy Sherley so she could provide samples to other buyers.

Co-defendants include:

Leslie Kingsley, who is awaiting sentencing.

Kristy Sherley, who was sentenced to 60 months.

Michael Loveland, who was sentenced to 92 months.

Jose Del Refugio Sanchez, who was sentenced to 38 months.

Grissom commended the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Deputy Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Robinson of the U.S. Attorney’s office in Riverside, Calif., and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken for their work on the case.