Marshalltown, IA — Aldo Omar Lopez Martinez, a 22-year-old from Marshalltown, Iowa, was found guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and money laundering by a federal jury on March 23, 2017.
The jury reached its decision after about two hours of deliberation following a two-day trial in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Evidence presented at the trial showed that Lopez Martinez, who arrived in Marshalltown from Mexico in 2015, was responsible for distributing pounds of ice methamphetamine to a network of individuals across Iowa.
Lopez Martinez received significant quantities of ice meth from sources in Mexico and remanufactured it in Marshalltown before distributing it. He used cash payments from his customers to wire money back to Mexico, where he continued to obtain more drugs. On May 5, 2016, police seized approximately $93,000 and over three pounds of pure methamphetamine from Lopez Martinez’s residence.
The investigation uncovered a broader conspiracy involving over six pounds of methamphetamine and nearly $250,000 in cash. To date, 20 individuals have been convicted in connection with the drug conspiracy. Sentencing before Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand is pending after a presentence report is prepared.
Lopez Martinez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life in prison, along with a fine of up to $10 million. He was taken into custody by the United States Marshal following the verdict and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force program, involving multiple agencies including the FBI, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and local police departments.
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Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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