KCK man ordered to serve 13.6 years in prison for drug trafficking

A Kansas City, Kansas, man who was arrested with methamphetamine, heroin and $67,000 in cash was sentenced to 13.6 years in federal prison for drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

Juan Lopez, 23, Kansas City, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

In his plea, he admitted he drove away from a residence on the 3400 block of Georgia Avenue when the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department came to serve a search warrant there. He abandoned his car near West 42nd Avenue and Thompson Street and he ran into a wooded residential area carrying two bags.

Police recovered one of the bags with more than 3 pounds of methamphetamine and more than half a pound of heroin. When residents of the 4100 block of Lloyd Street reported a prowler in their garage, police found Lopez hiding there with the second backpack, which contained $67,000 in cash.

When police searched the residence on Georgia Avenue, they found firearms, including three assault rifles, a pistol grip shotgun, a Mac-10 and two bulletproof vests, according to prosecutors.

McAllister commended the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton for their work on the case.