Acting United States Attorney Gregory G. Brooker today announced the guilty plea of LUIS MANUEL SANCHEZ-LOPEZ for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine. SANCHEZ-LOPEZ entered his guilty plea today before U.S. District Judge Ann D. Montgomery in Minneapolis, Minn.
SANCHEZ-LOPEZ is the last of three defendants to plead guilty to a March 2017 indictment. Co-defendants ABRAHAM SUAZO and ARTURO JUAREZ MADRIGAL entered their guilty pleas in U.S. District Court on May 15, 2017, and June 15, 2017, respectively.
“To the best of our knowledge, this was the largest single seizure of methamphetamine destined for Minnesota this year," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Endicott. “One-hundred pounds of methamphetamine represents an indescribable harm to the community. The Department of Homeland Security and our local law enforcement partners deserve great credit for their investigative efforts and success in taking these dangerous drugs off the street."
According to the defendants’ guilty pleas and documents filed in court, on February 8, 2017, the South Dakota State Patrol stopped a vehicle that contained approximately 92 pounds of methamphetamine. The driver, SUAZO, was transporting the methamphetamine from California to JUAREZ-MADRIGAL’S house in Eagan, Minn. Following a controlled delivery, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at the house and were able to recover an additional 9.6 pounds of methamphetamine and $118,500 in U.S. currency. At the time of the search, SANCHEZ-LOPEZ was also in the house and had used various chemicals, including acetone, to “wash" the methamphetamine to make it clear or white.
All three defendants face a 10-year mandatory minimum prison sentence.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Department, the Rapid City Police Department, the St. Paul Police Department, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the South Dakota State Patrol.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bradley M. Endicott.
Defendant Information:
ABRAHAM SUAZO, 36
Unknown
Convicted:
* Conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute, 1 count
ARTURO JUAREZ MADRIGAL, D.O.B. unknown
Eagan, Minn.
Convicted:
* Conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute, 1 count
LUIS MANUEL SANCHEZ-LOPEZ, D.O.B. unknown
Eagan, Minn.
Convicted:
*
Conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute, 1 count
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
