March 17, 2010

TWO DEFENDANTS IN OPERATION PRESS ONE SENTENCED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING IN KANSAS CITY, KAN.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two defendants who were part of a drug trafficking ring that sold more than $1 million worth of methamphetamine in the Kansas City area in less than 12 months have been sentenced to federal prison, U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch said today.

The two were among 25 defendants charged in Operation Press One, a drug investigation in 2008 involving federal and state agencies from Kansas City, Kan., to Atlanta, Ga. The traffickers brought methamphetamine to Kansas City from Mexico and smuggled the proceeds out of Kansas City in automobiles fitted with secret compartments.

Secundino Aria-Garcia, 30, Kansas City, Mo., was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison. Sergio Mosqueda-Hernandez, 35, Kansas City, Mo. was sentenced to 121 months. Both men pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In his plea, Aria-Garcia admitted he purchased methamphetamine in large quantities from out of state and sold it to dealers working in the Kansas City area. Mosqueda-Hernandez admitted he worked as a go-between arranging for lower level members of the conspiracy to purchase methamphetamine from suppliers higher up in the organization.

Other defendants in the case who have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing include the following:
Guadalupe Ruiz, sentenced to 120 months in federal prison.
Robyn Woods, sentenced to 60 months.
Marcicela Naranjo, sentenced to 70 months.
Marisela Ruiz, sentenced to 108 months.
Francisco Armondo Lopez-Montejano, sentenced to 70 months.
Baltazar Quiroz, set for sentencing March 23, 2010.
Betty Sue Marcos, set for sentencing March 30, 2010.
Vincent Ray Marez, set for sentencing March 18, 2010.
Baynard Jack Sitlington, set for sentencing 6, 2010.
Hector Eduardo Garcia-Gallardo, set for sentencing May 4, 2010.
Jesus Munoz, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.
Araceli Lozano-Miranda, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.
Carlos Dozal-Alvarez, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.
Javier Dozal, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.
Fabiola Uribe, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.
Steven Luttrell, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.
Hugo Chavez-Cadenas, set for sentencing April 13, 2010.
Luis Lozano-Miranda, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.
Jose Jimenez-Alvarez, set for sentencing April 27, 2010.
Francisco Javier Ruiz-Najera, set for sentencing April 13, 2010.
Uriel Lopez-Montejano, set for sentencing April 13, 2010.
Jorge Carrillo-Chavez, set for sentencing April 6, 2010.
Kurtis Wall, set for sentencing April 6,2010.

Welch commended the following agencies and individuals for their work on the case: the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office; the Overland Park Police Department; the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department; the Independence Police Department; the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department; the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; the Ottawa Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the U.S. Marshals Service; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt.