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Department of Justice United States Attorney David L. Huber Contact: Dawn Masden |
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October 3, 2008
ILLEGAL ALIEN SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS AND ONE MONTH FOR CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE
– Cocaine worth approximately $18,000 on the street
LOUISVILLE, KY - Wilfredo Aguirre-Lara, of Louisville, Kentucky , in Jefferson County, was sentenced to 3 years and 1 month imprisonment in United States District Court, Louisville, Kentucky, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of cocaine, U.S. Attorney David L. Huber of the Western District of Kentucky announced today. Dave Whalin, Magistrate Judge, United States District Court, also sentenced Aguirre-Lara, an alien in the United States illegally, to 4 years supervised release following incarceration. There is no parole in the federal judicial system.
Aguirre-Lara admitted that between January 31, 2008 and March 13, 2008, he and Gary Hernandez-Garcia, another illegal alien, knowingly conspired to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Aguirre-Lara also pled guilty to three counts of aiding and abetting Hernandez-Garcia with possessing with intent to distribute and distributing a quantity of cocaine with a street value of approximately $18,000.
The Facts
Facts elicited at the plea hearing revealed that between January 31, 2008 and March 13, 2008, both Gary Hernandez-Garcia and Wilfredo Aguirre-Lara, conspired to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. This conspiracy was furthered through a series of sales of cocaine to a confidential source who was working for law enforcement. Aguirre-Lara participated in three of the sales of cocaine to the confidential source.
On March 13, 2008, the confidential source made his last purchase of cocaine from Aguirre-Lara and Hernandez-Garcia. The agreed purchase was for ½ kilogram of cocaine. The confidential source and Hernandez-Garcia agreed that Hernandez-Garcia would first deliver ¼ kilogram of cocaine, whereupon the confidential source would pay for it, and then Hernandez-Garcia would bring the remaining ¼ kilogram. They agreed to consummate the deal at a Kroger parking lot in Louisville, Kentucky.
Soon after, Hernandez-Garcia and Aguirre-Lara were observed leaving 1538 Poplar Level Road in different vehicles and they were followed the short distance to the Kroger parking lot. Hernandez-Garcia initially met with the confidential source and then both entered Hernandez-Garcia’s vehicle. The confidential source asked to see the cocaine. Hernandez-Garcia told the confidential source that he would call and have someone bring it. The other vehicle, driven by Aguirre-Lara, then positioned itself near Hernandez-Garcia’s vehicle.
Hernandez-Garcia and the confidential source entered Aguirre-Lara’s vehicle and the confidential source was then shown the cocaine. Once the confidential source exited the vehicle, both Aguirre-Lara and Hernandez-Garcia were placed under arrest and approximately ¼ kilogram of cocaine was recovered from Aguirre-Lara’s vehicle.
A search warrant was executed in Louisville, Kentucky, within ½ hour of the arrest, whereupon approximately ¼ kilogram of cocaine was recovered from that location. After Hernandez-Garcia and Aguirre-Lara were arrested, a records check revealed that both were illegally present in the United States and subject to deportation. Hernandez-Garcia is a citizen of Guatemala and Aguirre-Lara is a citizen of Mexico. Both are subject to deportation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel P. Kinnicutt, and it was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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