Heroin Trafficker Sentenced to Federal Prison

PROVIDENCE - An Ohio man who admitted in court to his association with an Attleboro, MA, woman and others who supplied him with significant quantities of heroin, which he then sold in Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Providence on Monday to 48 months in federal prison on drug trafficking charges.

Michael Miller, 39, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and his drug trafficking, came to the attention of law enforcement during a Rhode Island State Police High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigation into the Attleboro woman’s drug trafficking activities. The investigation determined that Miller’s association with Olga Lidia Sandoval, 40, of Attleboro, came as the result of Miller’s friendship with one of Sandoval’s brothers, who was shipping significant quantities of heroin to Olga Sandoval from Guatemala through Mexico and into Rhode Island.

Some of the heroin imported by Olga Sandoval was provided to Miller, which he then resold in Ohio. A significant share of the proceeds from the sale of the heroin were paid to the Sandoval brothers in Guatemala.

At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith also ordered Miller to serve 3 years supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence. Miller pled guilty on May 10, 2018, to conspiracy to distribute heroin and use of a communication facility (cell phone) in the commission of a felony under the Controlled Substance Act.

As stipulated in a plea agreement filed with the Court, the government and the defense recommended the court impose a sentence of 48 months incarceration. The U.S. Sentencing Guideline imprisonment range in this matter is 87-108 months.

Miller’s sentence is announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch; Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police; and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh.

Olga Lidia Sandoval pleaded guilty on May 1, 2017, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and possession with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. She was sentenced on June 29, 2017, to 84 months in federal prison.

Sandoval’s co-defendants, Jose Luis Amparo Nova, 35, of North Providence, pleaded guilty on January 16, 2017, to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and possession with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. He was sentenced on July 14, 2017 to 48 months in federal prison. Ivan K. Alvarado, 39, of Spring Valley, NY, pleaded guilty on August 11, 2017, to conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. He was sentenced on October 27, 2017, to 36 months in federal prison.

The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.

United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch acknowledges and thanks Drug Enforcement Administration for their assistance in the investigations of these matters.

###