Career Offender Sentenced To 14 Years In Federal Prison For Drug Trafficking

FAYETTEVILLE – A Springdale man was sentenced yesterday to 168 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

In February 2020, detectives with the Fourth Judicial Drug Task Force (DTF) received information that Remberto Alexander Rivera (age 31), was distributing methamphetamine in Northwest Arkansas and that he was on parole with a warrantless search waiver on file.  Rivera was released from the Arkansas Department of Correction in October 2019.

On March 3, 2020, detectives were conducting surveillance at a hotel located in Springdale, Arkansas.  While on surveillance, detectives observed Rivera arrive in a vehicle, exit it, and then retrieve a backpack from it.

Detectives approached Rivera and requested his identification, which he claimed he did not possess and further refused to identify himself.  Rivera was placed under arrest and searched. During the search, detectives located multiple bags of methamphetamine, a digital scale and $3,440.00.  Rivera was released on bond on March 11, 2020. 

In May of 2020, officers with the Fayetteville Police Department, responding to complaints from citizens that drug activity was occurring in a certain neighborhood in Fayetteville, made contact with Rivera.  During the encounter with police, Rivera fought with police and attempted to take one of the officer’s taser and another officer’s firearm.  After Rivera was taken into custody his vehicle was searched. The search resulted in officers locating two firearms (one loaded) and drug paraphernalia commonly used in drug trafficking.

Due to the nature of Rivera’s prior felony convictions, he was sentenced as a Career Offender.    

U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

The Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force and the Fayetteville Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.