WICHITA, KAN. — A routine traffic stop on I-70 turned into one of the largest cocaine seizures in recent Kansas history when troopers discovered 117 pounds of the drug hidden in a sedan driven by Maria Janeth Moreno-Cento, 39, with passenger Marco Antonio Aispuro, 48. The arrest, made on October 21, 2016, near mile marker 333 in Wabaunsee County, led to federal indictments on Tuesday.
According to court documents, Moreno-Cento was behind the wheel of the vehicle traveling eastbound when Kansas Highway Patrol pulled her over for a traffic violation. Aispuro sat in the passenger seat. A search of the car revealed the massive cocaine stash concealed inside the driver’s side rear quarter panel and within the spare tire compartment—a professional concealment method indicating organized smuggling.
Both defendants were indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, a charge that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $10 million. In addition, Moreno-Cento faces a separate charge of unlawfully re-entering the United States after deportation, a felony that could add up to two years and a $250,000 fine if she’s convicted.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Skip Jacobs is handling the prosecution. Authorities have not disclosed the intended destination of the drugs, but I-70 is a known corridor for interstate drug trafficking between the Southwest and Midwest markets.
In related immigration enforcement actions, Osmar A. Marroquin, 42, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged after being found in Butler County on October 24, 2016. Gonzalo Montoya-Perez, 45, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested in Reno County on October 27, 2016. Both face one count of unlawful re-entry after deportation, each punishable by up to two years and a $250,000 fine. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations led both investigations, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson prosecuting.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The indictments reflect allegations only, not convictions. As federal cases proceed, they underscore the ongoing intersection of drug trafficking and immigration enforcement in rural corridors across Kansas.
Related Federal Cases
- Janelle Isaacs Gets 72 Months for Cocaine Smuggling Scheme · Kansas
- Three Men Smuggle 1,000 Pounds of Liquid Meth in Truck Tank · Kansas
- Rios Gets 46 Months for 44lb Cocaine Run · Kansas
- Maria Alvarez-Buenrostro Hauled 60+ Pounds of Meth Across State Lines · Kansas
- 30 Pounds of Meth Lands California Man 10 Years · Kansas
Key Facts
- State: Kansas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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