A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced June 13, 2013, to ten years in federal prison.
Ricardo Ballesteros, 29, from Spencer, Iowa, received the prison term after a Sept. 13, 2012, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Ballesteros admitted his involvement in a conspiracy that distributed more than 10 pounds of mixed methamphetamine from 2010 through August 2011. On two occasions in June 2011, Ballesteros aided and abetted the distribution of more than 13 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement.
Ballesteros was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett. Ballesteros was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ballesteros is 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 Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations, Spencer, Iowa, Police Department, and Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 12-4048.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
