Robert Aristotle Pandolfi, Meth Trafficking, Texas 2021
Amarillo, Texas - In a major blow to the Aryan Brotherhood gang, a local man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking.
Robert Aristotle Pandolfi, a 51-year-old California man living in Texas, pleaded guilty in July to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk.
According to plea papers, on March 11, 2021, a sheriff’s deputy in Amarillo stopped a vehicle in which Mr. Pandolfi was a passenger. A drug detection canine alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle after a free air sniff. Deputies searched the car and located ten bundles of methamphetamine in the car’s spare tire compartment.
In an interview, Mr. Pandolfi – a confirmed member of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang – admitted to buying drugs in California and trafficking them across state lines. He told officers that he had made at least five prior trips to transport methamphetamine.
The defendant has also been charged by the state of Kentucky with possession of a controlled substance, tampering with physical evidence, drug paraphernalia, speeding, and reckless driving. At Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, Judge Kacsmaryk ruled that Mr. Pandolfi’s federal sentence would run consecutive to any sentence imposed in that case.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Potter County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Pinkham prosecuted the Northern District of Texas case.
With this sentencing, the authorities have dealt a severe blow to the Aryan Brotherhood gang's operations in the region. The case highlights the importance of cooperation between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in dismantling organized crime groups.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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