Two Moses Lake Drug Traffickers Sentenced To Lengthy Federal Prison Terms

Spokane - Michael C. Ormsby, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington announced that Isidro Madrigal-Galvan, age 20, and Renee Gomez, age 24, both of Moses Lake, Washington, were sentenced after being convicted by a jury of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and other offenses relating to the operation of a methamphetamine trafficking organization during May, 2010 through July, 2011. Senior United States District Judge Edward Shea sentenced Madrigal-Galvan to more than a 19 year term of imprisonment, to be followed by 8 years of court supervision upon release from Federal prison. As a condition of that supervision, Madrigal-Galvan is prohibited from returning to the United States – he is not a United States citizen and faces deportation to Mexico as a result the convictions in this case. Judge Shea sentenced Gomez to a 10 year term of imprisonment, to be followed by 6 years of court supervision upon release from Federal prison.

In April, 2012, Madrigal-Galvan and Gomez were charged by way of a multi-count Indictment with offenses relating to the distribution and possession of methamphetamine, including the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on premisses in which an individual under the age of 18 was present or resided, maintaining a drug involved premises within 1,000 feet of a school, and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Following a trial, on October 10, 2012 the jury returned guilty verdicts against Madrigal-Galvan and Gomez on multiple counts.

At the sentencing hearing, Judge Shea noted a number of factors considered"aggravating" under federal Sentencing Guidelines, including that the drug trafficking conspiracy involved a premises that bordered a primary grade school. The Judge also noted that by Federal statute the sentence for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime must be served consecutive to the sentence imposed for any of the other crimes. These factors, in combination with others, resulted in Madrigal-Galvan's sentence of more than 19 years. With respect to Gomez, Judge Shea found that her role in the offenses was relatively minor by comparison to other participants, noting that in February, 2013, a third
member of the conspiracy, Martin Murillo-Barriga, was sentenced to over 16 ½ years. Based on the totality of the circumstances Judge Shea sentenced Gomez to a 10 year term of imprisonment, which was the minimum allowed by statute.

Michael C. Ormsby stated that, "These sentences reflect the serious consequences associated with trafficking in methamphetamine, particularly when it is conducted so close to a grade school. The law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation should be commended for their efforts in investigating this, and other drug trafficking organizations. This case is yet one more example of the strong partnership among law enforcement professional here in the Eastern District of Washington."

The investigation of this case, which was related to a larger investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration that led to the service of several search warrants and the arrest of numerous individuals, was conducted by the Spokane Regional Drug Task Force in cooperation with the Moses Lake Police Department, the Grant County Sheriffs Office, the Grant County Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, the Oregon State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; Immigrations and Customs Enforcement; and the United States Marshall's Service.

This case was prosecuted by Timothy J. Ohms and Caitlin A. Baunsgard, Assistant United States Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.

CR-12-0108-EFS