Acting United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced that Ricardo Barraza, age 41 of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Barraza to 151 months’ imprisonment. After completing his term of imprisonment, Barraza will be required to serve a 5-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Barraza’s prison sentence was extended by approximately 5 years as he absconded after pleading guilty and while on pretrial release in 2005. He was rearrested in November of 2019.
On Oct. 12, 2004, law enforcement stopped a red Chrysler PT Cruiser for a traffic violation while traveling in New Mexico. The driver of the vehicle, Ricardo Barraza, was accompanied by a passenger identified as Victor Jose Barraza Cazares. During the traffic stop, the officer became suspicious that the two were involved in criminal activity and requested permission to search the vehicle. Barraza granted permission for a search which resulted in the discovery of approximately 1,663 grams of methamphetamine. During a post arrest statement, Barraza admitted to his involvement in transporting the drugs to an individual in Grand Island, Nebraska.
The passenger was found guilty in July of 2005 of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the New Mexico State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
