United States Drug Enforcement Administration

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Drug Enforcement (DEA) Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mike Davis and United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas Conner Eldridge, announced that six defendants were sentenced this week as a result of drug- trafficking charges. The six individuals sentenced were originally charged in a 7-count indictment filed on July 31, 2013. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville, Arkansas. 

“Through unprecedented partnerships with local law enforcement, we are making major progress in preventing meth trafficking from taking hold in our community. This investigation is a compelling example of that success,” said DEA Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Mike Davis.  “The sentencing of these defendants sends a message to all who engage in this criminal activity: DEA will relentlessly pursue them, no matter where they are or how long it takes, “said Davis.

U. S. Attorney Eldridge commented, “The importance of ridding our communities of large-scale drug-trafficking cannot be overstated.  These defendants now face significant prison time for bringing methamphetamine and crime into our communities.  We must do all that we can to protect our children from the crime and violence that are part and parcel to this type of illegal activity. Our office remains fully committed to our partnership with the law enforcement agencies that spend countless hours investigating these crimes and to prosecuting these crimes to the fullest extent of the law.”

According to documents filed in the case, beginning in January of 2011, the DEA in Fort Smith, Arkansas, began investigating a drug- trafficking organization in the Sebastian and Washington County areas. During the course of this investigation, agents identified Ivan Jiminez, Flor Ramirez, Jacinto Frias-Gonzales, Rebecca Cason, Victoria Ramos and Miguel Landeros-Estrada as being involved together in the distribution of methamphetamine. Three controlled purchases of methamphetamine, totaling approximately three ounces, from the defendants were conducted by a cooperating source during the course of this investigation.

On June 18, 2013, at the DEA’s request, a cooperating source placed an order with Ivan Jiminez for two pounds of methamphetamine to be delivered to a location in Washington County, Arkansas. The cooperating source noted that Ivan Jiminez typically sent a driver with the methamphetamine sealed in a laundry detergent box.  On June 20, 2013, DEA agents located a vehicle that had been identified as the vehicle that would be delivering methamphetamine to the Fayetteville, Arkansas area. The vehicle was stopped by Trooper Eric Lee of the Arkansas State Police while on Interstate 540 in Fayetteville. Miguel Landeros-Estrada was identified as the driver and consented to a search of the vehicle. Inside the vehicle, a laundry detergent box was discovered and found to contain a package of a substance that was later tested and confirmed to be 946.5 grams of methamphetamine.

Ivan Jiminez, 27, of Mexico, was sentenced to 292 months in prison without the possibility of parole, five years of supervised release and $10,000 fine for one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. At sentencing, Jiminez was found to be the leader of the organization and responsible for the distribution of 59.2 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Western District of Arkansas.

Rebecca Cason, 25, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, was sentenced to 240 months in prison without the possibility of parole, three years of supervised release and $3,000 fine for one count of distribution of methamphetamine.

Jacinto Frias-Gonzales, 32, of Mexico, was sentenced to 206 months in prison without the possibility of parole, three years of supervised release and $3,000 fine for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Victoria Ramos, 27, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, was sentenced to 96 months in prison without the possibility of parole, three years of supervised release and $1,500 fine for one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Miguel Landeros-Estrada, 34, of Mexico, was sentenced to 78 months in prison without the possibility of parole, three years of supervised release and $1,500 fine for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Flor Ramirez, 25, of Mexico, was sentenced to 37 months in prison without the possibility of parole, three years of supervised release and $1,000 fine for one count of distribution of methamphetamine.

The cases were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Carter prosecuted the cases for the United States.

Parents and children are encouraged to educate themselves about the dangers of drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.JustThinkTwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov.