James L. Santelle, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 4, 2014, Jose Antonio Cortez-Ruiz (age: 26) was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison by Chief United States District Judge William C. Griesbach. Cortez-Ruiz had previously entered guilty pleas to counts of distribution of cocaine and aggravated illegal re-entry into the United States.
According to the plea agreement and other documents filed with the court, Cortez-Ruiz re-entered the country illegally in 2010 after being removed following his conviction for a felony, settling in the Chicago area. In October 2013, he was arrested in Manitowoc County after delivering a half-kilogram of cocaine to a confidential informant in exchange for $15,000.
The arrest of Cortez-Ruiz led to the arrest and prosecution of two high-level Chicago area drug suppliers currently being prosecuted in Cook County Circuit Court.
The case was investigated by Special Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
