California Residents Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA - On December 12, 2016, Manuel Espinozaheather Jean Reekr, a 33 year-old resident of Pico Rivera, California, was sentenced by Senior United States District Court Judge James E. Gritzner to 240 months of imprisonment for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine, and to 120 months of imprisonment for being a Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm, to run concurrently.  Espinoza was also sentenced to five years of supervised release to follow the term of imprisonment. 

Jose Luis Tizoc, a 23 year-old resident of San Diego, California, was also sentenced by Senior United States District Court Judge James E. Gritzner to 300 months of imprisonment for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine, and to five years of supervised release to follow the term of imprisonment, announced United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel.

A jury convicted these defendants at trial on June 27, 2016, finding the defendants guilty on all counts charged, being Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Prohibited Persons in Possession of a Firearm.  This case was the result of a large-scale investigation by law enforcement of methamphetamine trafficking that occurred in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area for approximately one year. 

Beginning at least as early as November of 2014, and continuing through September of 2015, the defendants conspired with multiple other individuals to distribute at least 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Southern District of Iowa or elsewhere.                                                                              

Other defendants who pled guilty for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and have been sentenced by Senior United States District Court Judge James E. Gritzner, include the following:

• Salvador Nunez Trejo, 120 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release;
• Jessica Moreno, 35 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release;
• Jaime Castillo Gomez, 168 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release;
• Kristopher Hatch, 151 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release;
• Jane Song, 60 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release;
• Grant M. Carman, 120 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release; and,
• Greg M. Price, 120 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.    

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Greater Omaha Safe Streets Task Force and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force.  This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.  

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 Media Contact for this release is Rachel Scherle at 515-473-9300, or Rachel.Scherle@usdoj.gov