Meth Kingpin Sentenced to Decade Behind Bars
A ruthless methamphetamine dealer has been brought to justice, sentenced to a lengthy prison term for conspiring to distribute the deadly substance in Iowa.
Rafael Martinez, 34, from Kiron, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine on March 22, 2017.
Martinez admitted to conspiring with others to distribute at least 1,500 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine in the Carroll and Crawford County areas between early 2015 and April 2016.
During this time, Martinez also distributed methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement in October 2015.
Martinez relocated from California to Iowa in order to avoid contact with the Vatos Locos gang, of which he was a former member.
On May 9, 2018, United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand delivered the sentence, ordering Martinez to serve 126 months' imprisonment. He must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term.
Martinez is currently being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Carroll, Iowa Police Department, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Denison, Iowa Police Department, and Iowa Division of Criminalist Laboratory.
For more information, visit the court file at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl, case file number 16-3051.
Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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