A prosecutor said in court today that federal agents seized more than 220 pounds of methamphetamine in a drug trafficking case in the Kansas City, Kansas, metro area.
U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said 14 defendants are charged in the case.
“Opioids are often in the news,” McAllister said. “But methamphetamine remains our biggest drug problem in the Midwest.”
Investigators found the methamphetamine when they served a search warrant at a house in Kansas City, Kansas, where one of the defendants lives.
The 33-count indictment, which was based on more than a year of investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, contains charges including conspiracy, distribution, possession with intent to distribute and interstate communications in furtherance of drug trafficking. Many of the charges carry potential penalties of 10 years or more in federal prison.
The following defendants have been charged:
• Luis Martinez-Carrango, 57, Kansas City, Missouri, conspiracy, interstate communications in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
• Alfredo Rey, 34, Kansas City, Kansas, conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
• Antonio Edder Calderson-Reyes, 31, conspiracy, distribution of methamphetamine, interstate communication in furtherance of drug trafficking.
• Raul Gutierrez-Zamaripa, 31, conspiracy.
• Jose Rosa-Pacheco, 34, Kansas City, Kansas, conspiracy, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
• Carlos Rosa-Artia, 35: Kansas City, Kansas, conspiracy.
• Enrique Rodriguez, 42, conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
• Rusbein Galicia-Lopez, 31, conspiracy, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, interstate communication in furtherance of drug trafficking.
• Abraham Gutierrez-Ojeda, 36, conspiracy, distributing methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, interstate communication in furtherance of drug trafficking,
• Jerry Taylor, 44, conspiracy, interstate communication in furtherance of drug trafficking, distributing methamphetamine.
• Yader Arita, 30, conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
• Manuel Leyva-Quijada, 43, Kansas City, Kansas, conspiracy.
• Mary Cain, 38, Kansas City, Kansas, conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
• Christopher Hite, 36, conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
If convicted, the defendants could face the following penalties:
• Conspiracy: Not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million.
• Distribution: Not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million.
• Possession with intent to distribute: Not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million.
• Interstate communication: Not more than four years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City Metro Strike Force investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.