Arizona Woman Sentenced To Over 3 Years In Federal Prison For Drug Trafficking

Fayetteville, Arkansas - Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Angelica Avendano , A/K/A Angelica Avendano-Gonzalez age 28, of Avondale, Arizona, was sentenced today to 42 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

 According to court records, in November 2017, during the course of an investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in the Western District of Arkansas, the Drug Enforcement Administration, (DEA) identified Avendano as the girlfriend and co-conspirator of Oscar David Zuniga-Chavez, a methamphetamine source of supply for local distributors of methamphetamine. During the investigation, agents sought and obtained a federal search warrant for Avendano’s residence in Peoria, AZ that she shared with Zuniga-Chavez. On December 8, 2016, agents with the DEA Fayetteville Resident Office traveled to Arizona, where they assisted DEA agents and task force officers from Phoenix, Arizona in the execution of the search warrant. Agents made contact with the Avendano at the residence, and advised her of her Miranda rights. During the interview with Avendano, she waived her Miranda rights and admitted to sending multiple packages containing methamphetamine to the Western District of Arkansas for distribution.

 Avendano was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2017 and pleaded guilty in January 2018.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant United States Attorney Kim Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.