Lacenter Methamphetamine Trafficker Pleads Guilty
Plea Agreement Calls for 13 Year Prison Sentence

JAN 08-- (Seattle) – DEA Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Arnold R. Moorin and the United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, Jeffrey Sullivan, announced today that Jose Freddy Barrera, pleaded guilty in U.S District Court to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.

According to records filed in the case, the investigation began in early March 2008, when a Vancouver police officer became aware that Barrera had returned to the Vancouver, Washington area using false identification documents. Subsequently, a subject who had departed Barrera’s residence was found to have more than one pound of methamphetamine in his vehicle. Law enforcement then searched Barrera’s residence and located up to 16 pounds of methamphetamine and a drug ledger indicating payments for drug shipments of more than $100,000.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Vancouver Police Department and the United States Marshal’s Service.