Amarillo Heroin Haul: Rittingger Admits to 17K Grams

AMARILLO, Texas – A massive heroin shipment and the man accused of moving it landed in federal court this week. Jose Emmanuel Morales Rittingger, 29, admitted today to possessing with intent to distribute a staggering amount of the deadly drug: more than 17,000 grams of heroin. The plea, entered before U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater, brings Rittingger one step closer to a potential life sentence.

U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas announced the guilty plea, signaling a win for federal authorities battling the relentless flow of narcotics across the border. Rittingger, a Mexican citizen illegally present in the United States, faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in federal prison and a fine reaching $1 million. He’ll be deported after serving his time, if he gets any leniency.

This wasn’t a solo operation. Co-defendant Joel Lara Merida, 31, already received his sentence – 51 months in federal prison – handed down by Judge Fitzwater on February 27, 2017. Merida pleaded guilty in November 2016 to one count of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and aiding and abetting. The pair were caught in August 2016, but the details of their bust paint a clear picture of calculated criminal activity.

The bust originated with a routine traffic stop. On August 15, 2016, a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Trooper pulled over a beat-up 1995 BMW for lane violations and an obstructed windshield. The trooper’s suspicions were immediately raised upon contact with Merida, the driver, and Rittingger, the passenger. A consented search revealed an aftermarket compartment hidden beneath the back seat – and inside, eighteen tightly wrapped bundles. Nine were bound in black tape, four in cellophane, and five in silver.

The weight? A gut-wrenching 44.26 pounds. Field tests confirmed the trooper’s worst fears: heroin. Subsequent lab analysis solidified the findings, revealing a net weight of approximately 17,388 grams of Schedule I controlled substance. That’s enough to kill a lot of people, and these two were clearly aiming to profit from that potential.

The investigation was a joint effort between the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Frausto and Sean Taylor are prosecuting the case, and are scheduled to seek sentencing on July 10, 2017. This case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and the devastating consequences it has on communities across the nation.