jaywalking arrest leads to crack conviction
Contact: Peter Deegan
A man arrested in Sioux City, Iowa, for jaywalking and who had crack cocaine on him was sentenced July 6, 2010, to more than eight years in federal prison.
Eben Valdez, 22, from St. Paul, Minnesota, received the prison term after a September 16, 2009, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine within 1000 feet of a public school or playground.
At the guilty plea, Valdez admitted that, from about 2008 through June 3, 2009, he was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 50 grams of crack cocaine. Valdez assisted in the distribution of crack cocaine within 1000 feet of Cook Park in Sioux City after he transported the drugs from St. Paul. On June 3, 2009, in Sioux City, Valdez possessed crack cocaine within 1000 feet of Cook Park. Police officers arrested Valdez for jaywalking, searched him, and seized about six grams of crack cocaine. Valdez later admitted he intended to sell the crack cocaine.
Valdez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Valdez was sentenced to 97 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $200 was imposed. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Valdez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 09-4032.
