Eugene, Ore. – Ramiro Ballesteros-Elorza, 33, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael R. Hogan to 84 months imprisonment and a five-year term of supervised release. Ballesteros-Elorza had earlier entered a guilty plea to manufacturing approximately 3,654 marijuana plants.
While conducting a coordinated marijuana eradication operation, the DEA, Douglas County Interagency Narcotics Team, Oregon State Police, and the South Coast Interagency Narcotics Team discovered a covert marijuana grow operation in a remote forested area of Coos County. After a period of clandestine surveillance by law enforcement officers, a search warrant was executed on the marijuana garden, and defendant Ballesteros-Elorza was arrested at a campsite in the grow. Items seized from the crime scene included a Mac-90 semiautomatic rifle with a loaded 30 round magazine, cell phones, drug records and a disposable camera with film depicting the defendant and others standing amongst the marijuana plants while holding the assault rifle.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Engdall.
