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Press Release

Washington Drug Trafficker Sentenced In Montana Federal Court

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Montana

The United States Attorney's Office announced that SYLVIA MARTINEZ, aka SYLVIA LOPEZ, 31, of Kennewick, Washington, was sentenced to a term of 90 months imprisonment, four years supervised release, and a special assessment of $100 during a federal court hearing in Great Falls, Montana, on April 17, 2014, before U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris.

MARTINEZ was sentenced in connection with her January 22, 2013, guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. In an Offer of Proof, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon stated it would have proved that MARTINEZ transported methamphetamine from Washington to Great Falls, Montana. On October 31, 2013, federal agents observed MARTINEZ and others parked at a local hotel. Agents conducted surveillance and watched several members of the conspiracy distribute methamphetamine. After obtaining a federal warrant, authorities searched a hotel and discovered 297.4 grams of pure

The District Court sentenced MARTINEZ to 90 months of imprisonment, with four years of supervised release to follow. Because there is no parole in the federal system, the truth in sentencing guidelines mandate that MARTINEZ will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, MARTINEZ does have the opportunity to shorten the term of custody by earning credit for good behavior. However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.

The term pure methamphetamine refers to the purity contained in the transacted amount which is usually "cut" with inert ingredients that make the actual product less pure but more profitable as drugs are generally sold based on quantity not quality.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Probation Office, and local law enforcement agencies.

Updated January 14, 2015