KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two Mexican nationals were indicted by a federal grand jury today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of methamphetamine.
Jose Adrian Medina-Herrera, 21, and Jose Farias-Valdovinos, 41, both citizens of Mexico, were charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against both defendants on Jan. 12, 2017.
The federal indictment alleges that Medina-Herrera and Farias-Valdovinos participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine on Jan. 11, 2017. They are also charged with aiding and abetting each other to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Medina-Herrera was arrested at a local bus station on Jan. 11, 2017. Medina-Herrera, who told officers he originally had traveled from California to St. Louis, Mo., had a one-way ticket from St. Louis to Kansas City, Mo. A law enforcement officer searched his suitcase, the affidavit says, and discovered 11 bundles wrapped in brown packing tape that contained a total of 5.352 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Farias-Valdovinos was arrested when he arrived at the bus station to pick up Medina-Herrera.
Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney R. Pratten. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
