Methamphetamine Distributor Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison

TUCSON, Ariz. – Jesus Hector Lagarda-Gil, 45, of Mexico, was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 11 years in prison and five years of supervised release. The court also ordered that Lagarda-Gil forfeit a 2018 Mazda CX5 automobile and $148,000 in United States currency. Lagarda-Gil pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine on September 21, 2023.

A co-defendant, Jesus Omar Encincas-Burruel, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years in prison and three years of supervised release on December 1, 2023.

Lagarda-Gil negotiated and coordinated the delivery of over 300 pounds of methamphetamine to undercover agents during a four-month period in 2022. On March 29, 2022, Lagarda-Gil met with an undercover agent in Las Vegas, Nevada, and personally delivered 45 pounds of methamphetamine to the agent after receiving the methamphetamine from Encinas-Burruel. In June of 2022, Lagarda-Gil traveled to Las Vegas again and delivered another 61 pounds of methamphetamine to the undercover agent. On July 1, 2022, Lagarda-Gil was arrested after delivering 217 pounds of methamphetamine to agents.