Jury Convicts California Man of Cocaine Trafficking

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Huntington Park, California, man was found guilty at trial today of possessing approximately 2.6 pounds of cocaine, which he carried hidden in a suitcase while traveling by bus through Kansas City, Mo.

Alan E. Sanchez, 29, was found guilty of one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute.

A detective with the Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics (MOWIN) Task Force approached Sanchez at a Kansas City, Mo., bus station as he got off the bus, which originated in Denver, Co., on Nov. 15, 2021. Sanchez was carrying a soft-sided suitcase. When the detective searched the suitcase, he found a bundle that contained approximately 2.6 pounds of cocaine. Sanchez also had $2,626 in cash.

Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for 90 minutes before returning a guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark, ending a trial that began Tuesday, July 18.

Under federal statutes, Sanchez is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trey Alford and John C. Constance. It was investigated by the Kansas City Interdiction Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration.