Methamphetamine Transportation Coordinator Sentenced To 210 Months

SAN DIEGO – Tijuana-based methamphetamine trafficker Salvador Walker was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Roger T. Benitez to more than 17 years in prison for his leadership role as a transportation coordinator in a large drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Walker, 56, was convicted by a federal jury in September of 2013 after a three-day trial. According to evidence presented at trial, Walker’s trafficking activity first came to the attention of authorities in 2011 after Customs and Border Protection officers arrested Jaime Garcia-Covarrubias, George Ramirez and Gerardo Ramos-Tabardillo as they attempted to drive separate vehicles loaded with methamphetamine through the San Ysidro, California Port of Entry. All three couriers were subsequently convicted of importation of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, an investigation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security identified Salvador Walker as the link among each of the methamphetamine loads. The investigation revealed that Walker was responsible for recruiting drivers to import narcotics into the United States, and that he directly oversaw efforts to load methamphetamine into compartments in vehicles to bring to the United States. Agents learned that the three couriers alone made dozens of trips to Tijuana to load their vehicles with methamphetamine and then successfully crossed the drugs into the United States and traveled to deliver the methamphetamine to Walker’s associates in the Los Angeles area.

During Walker’s trial, the United States presented evidence that Walker supervised these drug couriers as they transported methamphetamine to associates in Anaheim as well as narcotics proceeds back to Mexico. After the presentation of evidence, a jury convicted Walker of conspiring with others to import methamphetamine.

“Methamphetamine is a particularly dangerous drug with devastating effects on the user and the community,” said United States Attorney Laura E. Duffy. “The leaders and organizers of drug importation rings face significant consequences for their actions. Today’s sentence is a warning to all those leaders that they will be brought to justice and face significant custodial time for their aggravated crimes.”

DEFENDANT		Criminal Case No. 12-CR-0909-BEN
Salvador Walker	Age: 56	Tijuana, Baja California
CHARGES
Count 1: Title 21, United States Code, Sections 952, 960 and 963 - Conspiracy to Import Methamphetamine; Maximum penalty: Life Imprisonment
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations Customs & Border Protection
*Indictments and complaints are not evidence that the defendant committed the crime charged.  All defendants are presumed innocent until the United States meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.