Hector Francisco Ramirez-Roman, Possession with Intent to Distribute, Arizona 2023

TUCSON, Ariz. – In a hard-hitting verdict, a man has been sentenced to nine years behind bars for his role in a massive methamphetamine trafficking operation. Hector Francisco Ramirez-Roman, 39, of San Luis, Rio Colorado, Mexico, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 108 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Ramirez-Roman also was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment.

Ramirez-Roman pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine.

This conviction stems from an incident on May 21, 2021, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers stopped Ramirez-Roman while he was crossing into the United States from Mexico. The tractor-trailer driver was behind the wheel of a vehicle loaded with cucumbers, but a more sinister cargo was discovered in the passenger-side gas tank.

Upon inspection, agents found a combination of gasoline and liquified methamphetamine, with more than 332 kilograms of the highly addictive substance removed from the gas tank. This staggering amount translates to approximately 1.3 million individual doses.

The investigation was led by United States Customs and Border Protection, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Petermann handled the prosecution.

Ramirez-Roman's nine-year sentence is a significant blow to the methamphetamine trafficking operation he was involved with. The case serves as a reminder of the ongoing battle against the scourge of illicit substances in our communities.

Case number CR-21-01384-JCH-EJM has been closed, with the defendant's $100 special assessment serving as a small price to pay for the severity of his crimes.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/pr/tractor-trailer-truck-driver-sentenced-nine-years-prison-possessing-intent-distribute