ALEXANDRIA, VA – A family-run drug operation in Northern Virginia has crumbled with the sentencing of Minor Peralta-Perez, 44, and his son, Mynor Mejia Benitez, 25. Peralta-Perez received nearly three and a half years in federal prison today for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, while his son already faces a decade behind bars.
Federal prosecutors detailed a 14-month scheme where the pair pushed over half a kilogram of cocaine to a confidential source. Court documents reveal Mejia Benitez wasn’t just a distributor; he was the primary source of supply for his father’s operation. In the summer of 2017, Peralta-Perez hooked up his customer with his son, facilitating ounce-level cocaine transactions primarily at Mejia Benitez’s Dumfries residence. The deals weren’t without intimidation – during their initial meeting, Mejia Benitez brazenly flashed a Smith & Wesson pistol from his waistband during the exchange. Even more disturbing, the DEA learned that on multiple occasions, Mejia Benitez conducted these drug sales with his two minor children present.
The operation didn’t end with a simple arrest. Peralta-Perez, attempting to evade justice, was previously deported to Guatemala following a driving while intoxicated conviction in Alexandria. But the exile didn’t stop him. He directed his U.S.-based associates to keep the drug pipeline flowing, making it clear he intended to illegally re-enter the country. And he did. In December 2018, Peralta-Perez crossed the Texas border illegally, only to be apprehended and prosecuted separately for re-entry violations.
The younger Mejia Benitez already received his punishment on March 15th: a 10-year sentence, not only for his role in the cocaine conspiracy but also for possessing a firearm while furthering the drug trafficking crime. The combined sentences signal a clear message from federal authorities regarding the severity of drug offenses, especially those involving weapons and attempts to circumvent the law.
“This case demonstrates the lengths to which drug traffickers will go to continue their illegal activities, even after facing deportation,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA’s Washington Field Division, and Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring joined in the announcement, highlighting the multi-agency cooperation that brought down the Peralta-Perez operation.
The prosecution was handled by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and Virginia Assistant Attorney General Lena Munasifi. Details of the case, including court documents, can be found on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia website and through the PACER system under Case No. 1:19-cr-68. This investigation serves as a grim reminder of the relentless flow of narcotics through the Commonwealth and the dangers posed by those who profit from addiction.
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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