Tarrant And Parker County Men Receive Lengthy Federal Prison Sentences For Roles In Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy
FORT WORTH, Texas - Six defendants who were convicted of federal felony offenses for their respective roles in a cocaine distribution conspiracy in North Texas have been sentenced, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.
Francisco Favela, 46, of Crowley, Texas, was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor to 96 months in federal prison. Favela pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with the intent to (cocaine).
Two other coconspirators pleaded guilty to the same offense and have been sentenced. Jorge Villarreal-Flores, 30, of Weatherford, Texas, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison and Ricky Johnson, 35, of Fort Worth, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison
Another coconspirator, Terrance Montgomery, 30, of Fort Worth, was convicted at trial in July 2014 on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled (cocaine) and one substantive count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled (cocaine). He was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison.
Two other codefendants, Eugenio Quintero, 42, of Fort Worth, and Miguel Angel Ayala, 39, of Weatherford, Texas, each pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled (cocaine). Quintero was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison and Ayala was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison.
According to documents filed in the case, since approximately May 2013, Favela received cocaine from various Mexico-based cocaine suppliers - usually receiving several kilograms of cocaine every few weeks on consignment. When Favela received cocaine from a courier, Favela would give that same courier, or another courier, the money he owed for the previous cocaine shipment. Usually, Favela paid approximately $26,000 for each kilogram of cocaine.
Typically, once Favela received cocaine from Mexico, he personally distributed it, often on consignment, to others, including Montgomery, Johnson, Quintero and Ayala. When they received this cocaine, they would then pay Favela for their previous cocaine shipments.
On several occasions, Villarreal-Flores worked as a money-courier for Favela’s Mexico-based supplier, transporting drug proceeds from Favela in Fort Worth to Mexico. On February 15, 2014, Favela gave Villarreal-Flores approximately $150,000 in drug proceeds that was to be delivered to the Mexico-based supplier. Villarreal-Flores, however, was arrested in Hillsboro, Texas, before he could complete the journey to Mexico.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement (DEA) High Intensity Drug Trafficking (HIDTA) task force and Internal Revenue (IRS) Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Smith prosecuted the case.
