Las Vegas Man Pleads Guilty To Participating In Large-Scale Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy

CONCORD, N.H. - United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Edward Espejo, 44, formerly of Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty in federal court to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.  

            According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least July of 2016 through May of 2018, Espejo supplied drug distributors in New Hampshire with shipments of methamphetamine ranging in size from a few ounces to more than 20 pounds at a time. 

          The investigation began in late 2016, when the DEA and the Postal Inspection Service began to see numerous parcels mailed from Las Vegas, Nevada, to New Hampshire that were suspected of containing methamphetamine. In addition, law enforcement officers began to investigate parcels mailed from New Hampshire to Las Vegas containing large amounts of money, as well as suspected drug payments made through money transfers from New Hampshire to Las Vegas.

          Law enforcement agents eventually arrested several members of a methamphetamine distribution ring operating in New Hampshire, and traced the source of their drugs to Espejo.  On May 8, 2018, investigators arrested Espejo at his residence in Las Vegas.

          Several of the New Hampshire-based drug distributors supplied by Espejo already have been sentenced in federal court.  These individuals include: (1) Brian Lacourse, who was sentenced to six years in prison on August 23, 2018; (2) Katrina Jones, who was sentenced to 200 months in prison on August 9, 2018; (3) Dustin Moss, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison on August 2, 2018; and (4) Sabrina Moss, who was sentenced to six years in prison on June 28, 2018.

          Espejo is scheduled to be sentenced on December 7, 2018.

          “Methamphetamine is a dangerous, and sometimes deadly, drug that presents a growing threat to the Granite State,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.  “This conspiracy was responsible for distributing disturbingly large quantities of methamphetamine that posed a grave risk to public health and safety.  I commend the hard work of the investigating agents who were able to dismantle this significant cross-country drug trafficking operation.”

          “Today’s plea is an example of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s commitment to dismantling drug trafficking organizations that use the U.S. Mail to facilitate the distribution of narcotics such as methamphetamine.  We will continue to be focused on aggressively pursuing those who disregard our laws and bring these drugs into our state and our communities,” said Raymond Moss, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division

          This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the DEA. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Johns S. Davis and Shane B. Kelbley.

          This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.  

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