Amarillo Man Sentenced To 212 Months In Federal Prison On Drug Charge
AMARILLO - U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater sentenced Jose Santillan, 25, of Amarillo, Texas, earlier this week to 212 months’ in federal prison. Santillan was convicted in December 2017, following a three-day trial, on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine. The announcement was made today by Special Agent in Charge Clyde E. Shelley, Jr. of the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas.
Santillan has been in custody since the time of his arrest in April 2017.
According to evidence presented at trial, on February 2, 2016, a Texas Department of Public Safety agent working in an undercover capacity arranged to purchase eight ounces of methamphetamine from Guadalupe Vargas-Mayorga. Through surveillance and recorded telephone calls between the undercover agent and Vargas-Mayorga, law enforcement learned that Vargas-Mayorga obtained the eight ounces of methamphetamine from Jose Santillan and then delivered that methamphetamine to the undercover agent. Laboratory results confirmed that Vargas-Mayorga and Santillan delivered 192 grams of pure methamphetamine to the undercover agent on February 2, 2016. The evidence presented at trial also showed that Santillan had been supplying Vargas-Mayorga with methamphetamine for further distribution since approximately 2014. Additionally, evidence presented at sentencing showed that Santillan was receiving large shipments of liquid methamphetamine from Mexico.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland Security, Texas Department of Public Safety, Amarillo Police Department, Potter County Sheriff’s Office, and Randall County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Taylor and Joshua Frausto and Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Haag prosecuted the case.
