U.S. Department of Justice Debra Wong Yang United States Attorney Central District of California United States Courthouse 312 North Spring Street Los Angeles, California 90012
Release No. 06-118 Return to the 2006 Press Release Index Return to the Home PagePRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 12, 2006	For Information, Contact Public Affairs Thom Mrozek (213) 894-6947
SKID ROW DRUG DEALER SENTENCED TO 12+ YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR DISTRIBUTING HEROIN Los Angeles, CA - A Los Angeles gang member has been sentenced to 145 months in federal prison for his conviction on a drug trafficking charge related to the distribution of heroin in and around Los Angeles's skid row. Camilo Cortez, 34, was sentenced Monday afternoon to 145 months in prison after pleading guilty in April to possession with the intent to distribute heroin. United States District Judge S. James Otero also imposed a concurrent term of 120 months in prison for being a felon in possession of firearm. Over the course of several days in September 2005, Los Angeles Police Department detectives observed Cortez conduct multiple narcotics transactions in the Skid Row area of downtown Los Angeles. When Cortez was taken into custody, LAPD personnel recovered 74 grams of heroin from Cortez's car and a loaded .38-caliber revolver from his residence. Cortez, a 5th and Hill Street gang member, has multiple prior felony narcotics convictions for crimes such as possession of cocaine base for sale. This case was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. ##### Release No. 06-118 Return to the 2006 Press Release Index Return to the Home Page