Defendant Sentenced to 70 Months Imprisonment for Trafficking Methamphetamine

Acting United States Attorney Steve Butler of the Southern District of Alabama announced that on August 15, 2017, United States District Judge William H. Steele sentenced Arturo Hernandez-Esquivel, 38, an illegal alien from Mexico, to 70 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Judge Steele ordered that the defendant be delivered to a duly authorized immigration official for possible deportation immediately following the completion of his term of incarceration.  The court also ordered that Hernandez-Esquivel pay a $100 special assessment and imposed a term of supervised release of five years.       

On January 10, 2017, Alabama State Trooper Joseph Bennett observed a gray Jeep SUV following too close behind a commercial vehicle on 1-65 southbound in Baldwin County, Alabama.  Trooper Bennett pulled over the vehicle.  Hernandez-Esquivel was the driver and sole occupant.  Hernandez-Esquivel gave the trooper verbal and written consent to search the vehicle.  Law enforcement officials found approximately 478.5 grams of methamphetamine (actual) concealed in the vehicle. 

In February 2017, a federal grand jury for the Southern District of Alabama charged Hernandez-Esquivel with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of 21 USC § 841(a)(1).  On May 11, 2017, the defendant pled guilty to the offense before Judge Steele. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case.  Assistant United States Attorney Sinan Kalayoglu prosecuted the case.