Memphis, TN - Lorenzo Castelo of Memphis was sentenced to 300 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, Castelo was the head of a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Western District of Tennessee, Eastern District of Arkansas and the Northern District of Mississippi. Castelo was charged with nine others in a 15-count superseding indictment on Jan. 18, 2019.
On Jan. 25, 2019, U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Castelo to 300 months imprisonment. He was also ordered to serve five years supervised release.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: “Distribution of illegal narcotics is not a victimless crime. In order to prevent needless addiction, injury, violence, and death in our communities, we must disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that deliver this deadly poison to citizens in West Tennessee. This significant sentencing of the leader of the organization will do just that, and I commend our federal and local law enforcement partners for their impactful work in this important case."
“The distribution of illegal narcotics continues to tear at the fabric of our families and communities," said M.A. Myers, Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Field Office of the federal Bureau of Investigation. “This sentencing is the result of the strength of collaborative local, state, and federal law enforcement efforts to rid our neighborhoods of highly addictive and extremely dangerous drugs, and target and bring to justice those who engage in these crimes."
MPD Director Michael Rallings said: “Distributing illegal drugs throughout our community will not be tolerated. We will continue to work with our local and federal partners to identify and apprehend those who choose to victimize our citizens."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force; Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Memphis Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
