Foreign National Sentenced For Narcotics And Immigration Offenses

Juan Gamino-Salinas, 25, a Mexican national, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison on September 20, 2013, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. Gamino-Salinas was sentenced in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis.

On June 19, 2013, Gamino-Salinas pled guilty to five felony charges: 1) Possession With Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; 2) Possession With Intent to Distribute Cocaine; 3) Illegal Re-Entry After Deportation; 4) Possession of a Counterfeit Permanent Resident Card; and 5) Misuse of a Social Security Number.

On February 2, 2013, Illinois State Police stopped Gamino-Salinas’ car on Interstate 70 near Marine, IL, for speeding. Gamino-Salinas consented to the search of his vehicle. Inside Gamino-Salinas’ car, police found an ounce of cocaine and just under two ounces of methamphetamine. Police also found and seized drug ledgers; $2,250 in cash; and drug paraphernalia, including two scales and dozens of clear plastic baggies.

Subsequent to Gamino-Salinas’ arrest, Immigration and Customs and Enforcement agents determined that he had been previously deported to Mexico twice in 2009, and that he possessed false U.S. identification documents, bearing a fictitious name.

Gamino-Salinas has been detained since his arrest in February.

The investigation which resulted in Gamino-Salinas’ arrest and conviction was conducted by the Illinois State Police; the Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southwestern Illinois, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Garrison.