United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS FOUR MEN IN DRUG CONSPIRACY TRIAL

Defendants Face Up to Life Imprisonment

Late Friday afternoon, February 16, 2007, a federal jury in Fort Worth, Texas, found four individuals guilty on all counts of a superseding indictment charging them with offenses related to a drug-trafficking conspiracy that took place in and around Fort Worth and San Angelo, Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. Following the five-day trial, Fort Worth residents, Julio Alejandro-Gonzalez, 30, and Rosalio Salazar-Ramirez, 32, and San Angelo, Texas, residents, James Adam Guevara, 25, and Pedro Franklin, 27, were found guilty of the drug-trafficking conspiracy charge. Defendant Salazar-Ramirez was also convicted of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug-trafficking crime.

The superseding indictment alleged that these defendants, along with at least four other co-conspirators, conspired to possess with intent to distribute and conspired to distribute more than 40 pounds of methamphetamine and more than ten pounds of cocaine from September 2005 until January 19, 2006. Defendants Gonzalez, Guevara, and Franklin face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. Defendant Salazar-Ramirez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. They are scheduled to be sentenced on June 4, 2007.

U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper praised the excellent investigative efforts of the Fort Worth Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Wolfe and Alan Buie.

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