FAYETTEVILLE, AR – Justice came down hard in Fayetteville this week as the final member of a large Northwest Arkansas drug trafficking operation received a federal prison sentence. The culmination of a year-long investigation, the takedown has resulted in a staggering 141 years combined for fifteen individuals involved in distributing poison across the region.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) launched its investigation in the spring of 2019, focusing on a sophisticated network dealing in methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl. From April 2019 to August 2020, agents painstakingly built a case against the organization, led by Nathan Martin, 36, of Rogers, Arkansas. The scope of the operation was significant, ultimately leading to the seizure of approximately 28 kilograms of methamphetamine, 415 grams of heroin, 61 grams of fentanyl, five firearms, and over $43,000 in illicit funds.
Presiding over the sentencings, The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks handed down harsh penalties to those convicted. Nathan Martin himself received 300 months imprisonment, along with a 4-year term of supervised release, a $9,900 fine, and a $100 special assessment for Aiding and Abetting in the Distribution of More Than 50 grams of a Mixture or Substance Containing a Detectable Amount of Methamphetamine. Ruben Zapien, 35, of Rogers, Arkansas, received an 188-month sentence for the same charge, along with a 5-year term of supervised release, a $900 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
Other key members of the ring also faced lengthy sentences. Gary Boyd, 40, of Bella Vista, Arkansas, was sentenced to 180 months imprisonment, 3-year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,900, and a $100 special assessment for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Evan Boyd, 26, of Springdale, Arkansas, received 130 months imprisonment, a 3-year term of supervised release, a fine of $2,400, and a $100 special assessment for Distribution of Methamphetamine. Patrick Ford, 23, of Rogers, Arkansas, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, a 5-year term of supervised release, a fine of $2,400, and a $100 special assessment for Distribution of Methamphetamine.
The remaining members of the organization received varying sentences. Karla Avelar-Mejia, 23, Rogers, Arkansas, received 60 months imprisonment, a 3-year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,400, and a $100 special assessment for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Humberto Noel Gonzalez, 38, Rogers, Arkansas, received 78 months imprisonment, a 3 -year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,400, and a $100 special assessment for Distribution of Methamphetamine. Christopher Lee Jackson, 59, Rogers, Arkansas, received 100 months imprisonment, a 3 -year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Michael Moran, 38, Bentonville, Arkansas, received 120 months imprisonment, a 3-year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,400, and a $100 special assessment for Distribution of Heroin. Thomas Porras, 32, Bentonville, Arkansas, received 110 months imprisonment, a 4 -year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,400, and a $100 special assessment for Distribution of More Than 50 Grams of a Mixture Containing Methamphetamine. Katie Putty, 41, Springdale, Arkansas, received 30 months imprisonment, a 3-year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,400, and a $100 special assessment for Distribution of More Than 5 Grams Actual. Dakota Siller, 26, Springdale, Arkansas, received 84 months imprisonment, a 3-year term of supervised release, a fine of $1,400, and a $100 special assessment for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Finally, Natalie Urbina, 26, Rogers, Arkansas, received 87 months imprisonment, a 4-year term of supervised release.
This case, WDAR Case No. 5:20 CR 50044 – 001-012, serves as a stark warning to those involved in the drug trade. The DEA and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Arkansas are committed to dismantling these organizations and bringing those responsible to justice, no matter how deeply entrenched they may be within the community.
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Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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