CASPER, WY – Two Mexican nationals are off the streets and facing significant time behind bars after a federal investigation exposed a methamphetamine trafficking operation targeting the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR). Oscar Espinoza-Duarte, 32, of Chihuahua, Mexico, and German Ortiz-Esparza, 35, of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, were sentenced last week in U.S. District Court in Casper, Wyoming, for their roles in distributing the deadly drug and illegally possessing firearms.
The case, spearheaded by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), revealed that Espinoza and Ortiz were regular runners to Denver, hauling large quantities of methamphetamine back to the WRIR and surrounding communities. Agents determined the pair supplied multiple distributors, effectively fueling addiction and violence within the reservation. The investigation began tracking their movements, culminating in a raid on Espinoza’s trailer on February 25th.
What agents found inside was a criminal’s cache: a pound of methamphetamine, three additional firearms – including one with an obliterated serial number – and over $5,000 in cash. Ortiz was found to be carrying 8 grams of cocaine and a loaded 9mm pistol on his person. Espinoza had a .45 caliber pistol. The evidence quickly connected them to the larger drug trafficking network. Both men were indicted on March 20th.
Espinoza pleaded guilty on May 14th to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting that offense; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. He received a brutal 180 months’ imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Ortiz, who pleaded guilty on May 15th to distribution of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting that crime and being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl handed down the sentences, recognizing the severity of the crimes and the damage inflicted on the community. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist successfully prosecuted the case, leveraging evidence gathered by the DCI, FBI, and the Safe Trails Task Force, with assistance from state and local law enforcement, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
This takedown is part of “Operation Take Back America,” a nationwide initiative aiming to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels, and protect communities from violent crime. The Department of Justice is signaling it intends to aggressively pursue those who prey on vulnerable populations and flood our streets with dangerous drugs. Case No. 25-CR-00050
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Key Facts
- State: Wyoming
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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