NEW BERN - The United States Attorney’s Office announced that yesterday in federal court, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced JUAN RAMIREZ-MARTINEZ, a/k/a Panda, 28, a legal resident of Mexico living in Jacksonville, to 128 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
RAMIREZ-MARTINEZ was named in a seven-count Indictment filed on March 16, 2016. On May 11, 2016, RAMIREZ-MARTINEZ pled guilty to four counts, including Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heroin; Possession With Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heroin; Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien; and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
During the investigation, multiple controlled purchases and seizures of heroin were conducted from the conspirators with the use of confidential informants (CI’s). Based on these controlled purchases and information regarding trips taken by RAMIREZ-MARTINEZ to resupply, the defendant is accountable for at least 308 grams of heroin. He is also considered to have possessed a firearm in connection with his drug trafficking activities.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Jacksonville Police Department, Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Laura Howard represented the government.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
