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Joint law enforcement operation in Oklahoma dismantles 2 methamphetamine drug rings; 21 convicted, collective prison sentences totaled more than 128 years

OKLAHOMA CITY — A joint law enforcement investigation into the activities of a Mexican drug-trafficking organization operating locally resulted in 21 Mexican nationals being convicted and sentenced to a collective total of 1,543 months in prison. These sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Sanford C. Coats, Western District of Oklahoma.

Twenty of these defendants were convicted in federal court and sentenced to a combined total of 1,447 months in federal prison. Another defendant was convicted in state court and sentenced to 96 months in state prison.

"The successful prosecution of this complex investigation represents a cooperative effort among multiple law enforcement agencies working thousands of man-hours," said James Delia, resident agent in charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations Oklahoma City. "We dismantled a drug-smuggling organization and reduced a significant threat to public safety, which is our ultimate goal."

"The cases from this investigation demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement to dismantling transnational criminal organizations involved in the transportation and distribution of illicit narcotics," said U.S. Attorney Sanford C. Coats.

"This case is yet another example of how the multi-agency task force concept, using the combined resources and intelligence from local, state and federal Oklahoma law enforcement agencies, is the most effective and efficient way to dismantle organized drug trafficking groups," said Richard W. Salter Jr., Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Oklahoma City District Office. "The good citizens of Oklahoma deserve and should expect nothing less than this type of service from their public safety agencies."

In June 2011, about 100 city, county and federal law enforcement officers executed multiple federal arrest and search warrants, resulting in charges against multiple defendants in two separate complaints alleging two conspiracies to possess and distribute methamphetamine. This joint operation was a multi-agency task force investigation into a Mexican national drug trafficking organization operating in the Oklahoma City area.

This investigation was conducted through the joint efforts of the following agencies: DEA; HSI; the Oklahoma City Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service; the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation, and the DEA Task Force. The DEA Task Force consists of officers from the following agencies: Oklahoma City Police Department, Yukon Police Department, Edmond Police Department, Norman Police Department, Canadian County Sheriff's Office, the Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office, and the District 21 (Cleveland County) Drug Task Force.

As detailed in court records, this investigation included physical surveillance, arrests, seizures and electronic surveillance, among other investigative techniques. The investigation culminated in filing two related but separate federal indictments. Twenty-one defendants were prosecuted and convicted in federal and state court. Following is a list of the 20 defendants convicted in federal court with the sentence each received:

Of the 20 defendants prosecuted in federal court, 16 pleaded guilty and four exercised their right to a jury trial:

• A jury convicted Rafael Quintero-Rivas of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, four counts of distributing or possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and four counts of using a cellular phone to facilitate a drug felony. He was sentenced to serve 151 months in federal prison.
• A jury convicted Valente Campos of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of using a cellular phone to facilitate a drug felony. He was sentenced to serve 27 months in federal prison.
• A jury convicted Jesus Figueroa-Labrada of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distributing or possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and two counts of using a cellular phone to facilitate a drug felony. He was sentenced to serve 120 months in federal prison.
• A jury convicted Jose Angel Gonzalez-Gandarilla of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distributing methamphetamine, and one count of using a cellular phone to facilitate a drug felony. He was sentenced to serve 100 months in federal prison.

In addition to the 20 defendants prosecuted in federal court, one defendant, Eloy Marroquin-Chavez (aka "Eloy Chavez," or "Eloy Marroquin"), 44, from Mexico, was convicted in a related case in Lincoln County District Court and sentenced to 96 months in state prison.

These federal cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann, Western District of Oklahoma.