Five Defendants Pleaded Guilty In Unrelated Cases To Methamphetamine Trafficking Charges.
(WESTON, Fla.) - Five defendants pleaded guilty in unrelated cases to methamphetamine trafficking charges.
On January 18, 2018 and January 30, 2018, respectively, Saul Bustos Bustos, 38, and Irepan Juanchi Salgado, 24, each of Mexico, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. According to court records, the defendants met on November 28, 2017, with a DEA undercover officer in Miami to sell him five kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, at $14,500 per kilo. During the transaction, the defendants, who possessed a total of 3,717 grams of 98% pure crystal methamphetamine, worked together to transfer the drugs from their vehicle to the undercover officer. Bustos Bustos also pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after removal, after reentering the United States subsequent to removal on April 13, 2017, July 6, 2017, and July 19, 2017.
On January 31, 2018, Reitilly Fuentes Ramos, 32, of Miami-Dade County, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court records, on October 25, Fuentes Ramos distributed 56.2 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine to a DEA confidential source. Following that transaction, the confidential source purchased an additional four ounces of crystal methamphetamine from Fuentes Ramos. During execution of a search warrant at the residence of Fuentes Ramos, agents seized four more ounces of crystal methamphetamine as well as distribution quantities of cocaine.
On January 30, 2018 and February 9, 2018, respectively, Jeremy Robert Macroy, 30, and Andrew Ronald Lord, 38, each of Broward County, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. According to court records, Macroy and Lord facilitated the mailing of a UPS parcel from California to Hollywood, Florida, containing crystal methamphetamine. On November 15, 2017, Lord picked up the package, a portion of which he intended to distribute to Macroy. A search of the parcel revealed that it contained 430.3 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine.
At sentencing, Bustos Bustos and Juanchi Salgado face potential prison sentences of up to life imprisonment, to be followed by supervised release terms of at least five years on their respective narcotics convictions. Bustos Bustos also faces a maximum term of three years imprisonment, to be followed by up to three years supervised release, for his immigration violation. Bustos Bustos is scheduled to be sentenced on March 29, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. A sentencing date for Juanchi Salgado has not been scheduled.
Fuentes Ramos faces a potential prison sentence of up to life imprisonment, to be followed by supervised release of at least five years. Fuentes Ramos is scheduled to be sentenced before United on April 11, 2018, at 2:00 p.m.
Macroy and Lord face potential prison sentences of up to 40 years, to be followed by supervised release terms of at least four years. Macroy and Lord are scheduled to be sentenced on April 30, 2018, at 10:30 a.m., and April 24, 2018, at 2:30 p.m., respectively.
This investigation and prosecution was conducted by members of the South Florida High Intensity Drug Trafficking (HIDTA) Task Force. The South Florida HIDTA, established in 1990, is made up of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies that, cooperatively, target the region’s drug-trafficking and money laundering organizations. The South Florida HIDTA is funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy which sponsors a variety of initiatives focused the nation’s illicit drug trafficking threats. It is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov
