The second of two Tucson, Ariz.-based co-defendants in a drug dealing case was sentenced June 22 to six years in prison.
Jamaar Charles Samuels, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash, to 72 months in prison, to be followed by 36 months of supervised release, according to a June 30 ICE news release. Samuels' co-defendant, Patrick Michael La Fever, was sentenced last summer to 97 months in prison, to be followed by 60 months of supervised release.
"Our communities are undoubtedly safer with these two dangerous men behind bars for their involvement in distributing narcotics," Scott Brown, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations-Phoenix, said in the news release. "HSI-Phoenix is proud to have worked with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to bring these two defendants to justice. HSI Phoenix will continue to work to protect the law-abiding citizens of Arizona from these criminal elements attempting to infiltrate our neighborhoods."
Samuels and La Fever previously plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, the release reported. La Fever also plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin.
According to the release, La Fever was arrested while smuggling about 1.56 kilograms of heroin from Mexico into the U.S. in April 2020. He was arrested again in November 2020 for continuing to distribute narcotics while out on release pending further investigation. The second arrest found La Fever in possession of numerous weapons, explosives and drugs.
The release reported Samuels was identified as one of La Fever's drug associates during the investigation into La Fever. When he was arrested, Samuels was in possession of drugs, cash and a stolen firearm.
The investigation included efforts by U.S. Customs and Border Protection's U.S. Border Patrol, HSI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to the release.
