Last of Three Men Sentenced for Meth and Fentanyl Conspiracy

Three Co-Conspirators to Serve 27 Years Collectively in Federal Prison

OKLAHOMA CITY – JAMES BUCHANNON WIYNINGER, 50, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 80 months in federal prison for drug conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On February 8, 2024, Wiyninger was charged by Superseding Information for his role in a drug conspiracy involving approximately 70 pounds of methamphetamine and four pounds of fentanyl.  According to public record, on September 6, 2023, a Wheeler County, Texas Sheriff’s deputy initiated a traffic stop on I-40 of a vehicle occupied by CARLOS ALREDO HERRERA-JIMENEZ, 30, and ARTURO NAJERA-TORRES, 28. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement located two trash bags with the approximately 70 pounds of methamphetamine and four pounds of fentanyl inside. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) were able to determine that the drugs were meant to be delivered to a location in Oklahoma City. DEA agents thereafter delivered the drugs as planned to a pickup and another vehicle at an Oklahoma City hotel on September 7, 2023. Law enforcement then followed those vehicles to a metro address, where they arrested Wiyninger without incident.

The driver of the other vehicle, JERRY WARD, 53, rammed his vehicle into an Oklahoma Highway Patrol car and tried to flee the scene. Authorities were able to disable Ward’s car, and he was arrested shortly after.

This year, Wiyninger, Ward, and Jimenez all pleaded guilty to individual superseding informations, charging each of them with drug conspiracy.

At the sentencing hearing on October 7, 2024, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Wiyninger to serve 80 months in federal prison.

Ward has been sentenced to serve 200 months, and Jimenez has been sentenced to serve 44 months in federal prison.

Torres was scheduled for a combined plea and sentencing hearing in September 2024, but he did not appear. A bench warrant was issued and he remains at large.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Leverett is prosecuting the case.

Reference is made to public filings for additional information.