In an Oklahoma City drug bust last month, federal drug agents seized more than six pounds of methamphetamine, leading to the indictment of one man by a federal grand jury. Jesus Joel Garcia-Lopez, 28, an illegal immigrant, was indicted on charges of charges of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Facing Federal Drug Charges
Another defendant in the case, Jose Israel Garcia, is a fugitive from justice, charged with conspiracy. The Oklahoma City drug charges came after federal agents with the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) found the meth in an air conditioning vent inside a home on SW 24th after a cooperating defendant told authorities that he had sold the drugs to Garcia-Lopez.
The defendant said he delivered 10 packages of methamphetamine in return for $52,000 in cash. The cash was also seized, according to a search warrant. Agents also seized a stolen handgun and a motor vehicle believed to have been purchased with drug proceeds. The 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee was subject to seizure under the Uniform Control Dangerous Substances Act. DEA agents became aware of the drug trafficking operation after a drug arrest in Tennessee.
Trafficking Charges
One of the men arrested in that incident is alleged to have worked with Garcia-Lopez to transport meth from Phoenix, Arizona, into Oklahoma City and Tennessee. Federal trafficking charges are subject to minimum sentencing and are based upon the quantity of the drug in possession.
Trafficking in methamphetamine is punishable by a minimum of ten years to life in prison and millions of dollars in fines on the first offense. Possession of 5-49 grams of pure meth or 50-499 grams of a meth mixture is enough for trafficking charges. The quantity of meth seized by the DEA Oklahoma City Task Force from the air vent in the Garcia-Lopez case was 2,796.8 grams.
Facing federal drug charges is a serious undertaking. Even though Oklahoma is known as having some of the toughest drug laws in the nation, federal penalties are even more severe, and a federal case is prosecuted by specialized governmental agencies such as the DEA.
Drug Trafficking Defense Strategies
If you are facing federal drug charges in Oklahoma County, turn to someone who is an experienced federal criminal defense lawyer. An attorney with demonstrated success in the United States District Courts will be able to offer skillful defense against federal drug charges and is not intimidated by challenging a U.S. District Attorney. For more information about drug crime defense in Oklahoma City, call 405-418-8888.
