An Iowa man who distributed significant quantities of ice methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than 20 years in federal prison.
Armando Castillo Valerio, 50, from Denison, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 22, 2016, jury verdict finding him guilty of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at trial showed Valerio was responsible for distributing ice methamphetamine, a highly pure, crystalized form of methamphetamine, throughout Northern Iowa. Valerio received ice methamphetamine from multiple sources, including some who were located out of state. Once he obtained methamphetamine from his sources of supply, Valerio distributed it to a network of individuals. Multiple witnesses testified at trial to receiving methamphetamine from defendant.
Valerio was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Valerio was sentenced to 262 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.
Valerio is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa City Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; the Mid-Iowa Task Force, comprised of the Marshalltown Police Department, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Tama County Sheriff’s Office, Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Falls Police Department, Eldora Police Department and the Dysart Police Department; and the Tri-County Drug Task Force, comprised of the Waterloo Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, Cedar Falls Police Department, LaPorte City Police Department, Hudson Police Department, Evansdale Police Department, University of Northern Iowa Police Department, Waverly Police Department and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 15-CR-2050.
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
