Las Vegas Man Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison For Murdering Drug Supplier During 2013 Drug Deal

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today to 144 months in prison in connection to a man’s death during a drug deal at a North Las Vegas apartment in November 2013, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Steven W. Myhre for the District of Nevada.

John Thomas, 25, pleaded guilty on March 1, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute and one count of use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime resulting in death. United States District Judge James C. Mahan also sentenced him to five years of supervised release.

According to admissions in his plea agreement, on Nov. 30, 2013, Thomas and co-defendant Louis Matthews arrived at a North Las Vegas apartment to purchase 20 pounds of marijuana from the victim, Luciano Madrigal-Herrera. Also present at the apartment were Julio Nunez and Angel Juarez. Madrigal-Herrera showed some of the marijuana to Matthews for inspection, and then went back outside to retrieve the rest. Matthews also left the apartment, stating he was going to get his friend, Thomas, as well as money to purchase the marijuana. The three men returned to the apartment, and then Thomas and Matthews each produced handguns in an attempt to rob Madrigal-Herrera of the marijuana. They repeatedly shot him causing his death. Thomas and Matthews took the marijuana and attempted to flee with it.

Three co-defendants were also charged in the scheme. Louis Matthews, 35, was sentenced on March 20, 2017, to life in prison for drug and firearm crimes that resulted in the death. Julio Nunez, 28, of Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute and one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 42 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Angel Juarez, 29, of North Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony and was sentenced to time served with one year of supervised release.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and the North Las Vegas Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip N. Smith Jr. and Alexandra M. Michael.

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