Drug Trafficker Sentenced To Serve 425 Months In Federal Prison On Conspiracy And Money Laundering Convictions
DALLAS - One of the principal defendants charged in a major drug distribution conspiracy that operated in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex and elsewhere was sentenced yesterday afternoon by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle to a lengthy federal prison sentence after pleading guilty last year to felony offenses stemming from his role in that conspiracy.
Jose Guerrero, a/k/a “J.D.,” 38, was sentenced to serve a total of 425 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Guerrero pleaded guilty in September 2015 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of laundering of monetary instruments. Judge Boyle sentenced him to 425 months on the drug conspiracy conviction and 240 months on the money laundering conviction, to run concurrently. Guerrero will also forfeit $20,970 in U.S. currency found by federal agents in his safety deposit box in July 2015, $40,276 seized from a bank account in July 2015, a firearm, and a 2007 Hummer H3 vehicle.
According to documents filed in the case, beginning in November 2012, Guerra, along with Tony Ruvalcaba, a/k/a “Lil Tony,” Eusebio Martinez Ramirez, Jr., a/k/a “Sip,” “Eduardo Ruvalcaba, a/k/a “Lalo,” Kenneth Johnson, a/k/a “KJ,” Noel Escamilla, Octavius Donnel Williams and Kenneth Johnson, a/k/a “KJ,” conspired to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Court documents indicate that Guerrero admitted he was being supplied multi-kilogram amounts of methamphetamine which he then worked to distribute to various individuals. Court documents reveal that Guerrero provided a price list of $9000 to $9500 per pound of methamphetamine or $17,000 to $17,500 per kilogram.
With regard to Guerra’s money laundering conviction, Guerra admitted that on February 22, 2013, he accepted $13,000 cash from co-defendant Ernest Olivarez, knowing that the money he received was illegal drug proceeds. Guerrero also admitted that, in August 2013, he provided $17,040 in drug money to an undercover officer so that it could be laundered.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dallas Police Department, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation led the investigation with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety; the DFW Department of Public Safety; the U.S. Department of State; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Transportation Security Administration; the U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and the Fort Worth, McKinney, Mesquite, and Plano Police Departments.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George Leal is prosecuting the case.
