Ruben Ortiz-Vieyra, Methamphetamine Distribution, Missouri 2022

A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in a conspiracy that converted large amounts of liquid methamphetamine into crystal methamphetamine at a rented house near George Melcher Elementary School in Kansas City, Mo.

Ruben Ortiz-Vieyra, 43, a lawful permanent resident of the United States from Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough on Wednesday, Aug. 3 to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Ortiz-Vieyra to forfeit to the government $1,020,000, which was received for the unlawful distribution of methamphetamine, based on a sale price of $600 per ounce and the distribution of 1,800 ounces (112.5 pounds) of methamphetamine. The court ordered Ortiz-Vieyra to spend 10 years on supervised release following incarceration.

On Jan. 12, 2022, Ortiz-Vieyra pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school from Jan. 1, 2014, to May 18, 2018. Co-defendants Jose Vieyra-Lopez, 37, a citizen of Mexico; Megan Eubanks, 40, of Kansas City, Mo., and Victor Suarez-Gallardo, 34, of Kansas, have also pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

In addition to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, Ortiz-Vieyra, Vieyra-Lopez and Suarez-Gallardo each pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school. Ortiz-Vieyra, Suarez-Gallardo and Eubanks each also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing or using firearms with drug trafficking. Ortiz-Vieyra also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess or use firearms with drug trafficking.

Ortiz-Vieyra supplied methamphetamine to Eubanks. Vieyra-Lopez was the drug runner for Ortiz-Vieyra. On April 26, 2018, a confidential informant purchased one-half pound of methamphetamine from Eubanks for $3,000 in a transaction that involved Ortiz-Vieyra. On May 2, 2018, the confidential informant purchased one pound of methamphetamine from Eubanks for $5,000. Ortiz-Vieyra was also involved in the transaction. On May 8, 2018, the confidential informant purchased one-half pound of methamphetamine. Ortiz-Vieyra and Vieyra-Lopez were involved in the transaction.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

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