United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

FORT WORTH WOMAN SENTENCED TO NEARLY 22 YEARS
IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR METH DISTRIBUTION

FORT WORTH, Texas – Maria Isabel Cruz-Tamez, who pled guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (methamphetamine), was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means to 262 months (nearly 22 years) in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper. Judge Means remanded Cruz-Tamez, 28, immediately to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

In November, co-defendants Rafael Gonzalez, 29, was sentenced to 264 months (22 years) in prison and his brother, Umberto Gonzalez, 28, was sentenced to 235 months (nearly 20 years) in prison. Umberto Gonzalez is a member of the Tango Blast prison gang. Co- defendant Marcos Abel Antonetty, 22, was sentenced to 108 months (nine years) in prison. All pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

In April 2007, the defendants were involved in attempting to sell a confidential source approximately five pounds of methamphetamine for $10,600 a pound. On April 26, 2007, after observing Rafael Gonzales and Umberto Gonzalez take a white plastic sack into a room at Budget Suites in Grand Prairie, law enforcement executed a state search warrant in one of the rooms and found Rafael and Umberto Gonzalez, Antonetty and Cruz-Tamez. On a table in the room was a white plastic bag containing two tupperware containers of methamphetamine.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, and the Fort Worth Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Wolfe.

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