Edmond Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Meth Conspiracy

OKLAHOMA CITY – In a major blow to Oklahoma’s narcotics trade, Antonio Ortiz Herrera, 46, of Edmond, has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for his role in a massive methamphetamine and cocaine distribution organization.

The sentencing is the culmination of a nearly two-year, nationwide investigation, led by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department, with support from IRS Criminal Investigation. Ortiz’s 22-year sentence is the result of his guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

According to court records, Ortiz played a key role in facilitating the distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine throughout the United States, including to North Carolina and Kentucky. The organization, led by co-defendant Victoriano Neri Hernandez, 37, had ties to Mexico and smuggled the illegal drugs in hidden compartments of camper shells attached to pick-up trucks.

Ortiz’s sentence is part of a larger crackdown on the organization, which has resulted in nine defendants being sentenced to a total of over 91 years in federal prison. Other defendants sentenced include Cesar Cecilio Perez Rubio, David Gandara, Jorge Luis Becerra, Ruby Jackson, Yoelmmi Franco Sandoval, Arturo Alberto Gonsen Romo, and Ivan Chanax Aguilar.

The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, which uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach to target the highest-level drug traffickers and dismantle transnational criminal organizations.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Anderson and Nick Coffey. U.S. District Judge Scott L. Palk sentenced Ortiz to 264 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

As the Grimy Times continues to expose the dark underbelly of Oklahoma’s narcotics trade, one thing is clear: the war on drugs is far from over. With sentences like Ortiz’s, it’s clear that law enforcement is taking a hard stance against those who would seek to profit from the suffering of others.