October 27, 2011

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. -- Alberto Campos, 49, of Greene County, Tennessee was sentenced today, in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Greeneville, by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Judge, to serve 262 months in prison for his role in operating a cocaine and crack cocaine distribution organization in and around the Greene County, Tenn., area. A total of 16 members of this drug trafficking organization were indicted in this case, and Campos was the final defendant to be sentenced in federal court. Under the federal guidelines, Campos was sentenced as a career offender based on a prior felony drug conviction and a prior felony witness intimidation conviction.

The evidence in the case showed that Campos obtained large quantities of cocaine from various sources of supply and redistributed them to a large customer base in the Eastern District of Tennessee. Campos sold quantities of cocaine to an undercover officer on repeated occasions. In addition to these sales, he sold an SKS assault rifle and ammunition to an undercover officer. Many of these sales were set up or conducted at the former Latino Music Store, in Greeneville, Tenn.

The indictment and subsequent convictions are the result of a multi-state, multi-agency investigation involving the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Third Judicial District Drug Task Force, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Greeneville City Police Department, Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office, Morristown Police Department, and Tennessee National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Taylor represented the United States throughout the case.

“This case is a good example of the results achieved by the cooperation and dedication of local, state and federal authorities. The federal sentencing system provides adequate punishment for the highest level of drug dealers like Mr. Campos. The imposition of a sentence of almost 22 years sends a message to others, who are considering committing criminal acts of drug sales and distribution,” said U.S. Attorney Bill Killian

This case was part of the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) programs. OCDETF is the primary weapon of the United States against the highest level drug trafficking organizations operating within the United States, importing drugs into the United States, or laundering the proceeds of drug trafficking. The HIDTA program enhances and coordinates drug control efforts among local, State, and Federal law enforcement agencies. The program provides agencies with coordination, equipment, technology, and additional resources to combat drug trafficking and its harmful consequences in critical regions of the United States.