Council Bluffs Man, Alejandro Almaraz, Sentenced to 84 Months for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

A Council Bluffs man was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for his role in a massive methamphetamine conspiracy that reached across state lines.

Alejandro Almaraz, 24, was one of four defendants to be sentenced in the case, which involved the seizure of approximately 12 kilograms of methamphetamine. The seized methamphetamine was transported from Juarez, Mexico to the United States through El Paso, Texas.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencings, Almaraz and his co-defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Council Bluffs, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska metro areas.

Alejandro Almaraz will be required to serve three years of supervised release after completing his term of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.

Almaraz’s three co-defendants were sentenced earlier this year. Arnulfo Ibarra-Nunez, 57, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Stacey Hernandez, 19, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Manuel Gamez-Acosta, 25, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Council Bluffs Police Department.

The case is a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by methamphetamine trafficking in our communities. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story and provide updates as more information becomes available.