Angel Flores, a 31-year-old resident of Portage, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for attempting to possess over 500 grams of cocaine for distribution. Flores pleaded guilty to the charge on December 18, 2024, as announced by United States Attorney Timothy M. O'Shea. Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson delivered the sentence, emphasizing the significant quantity and wide geographical reach of the drug trafficking operation Flores led. According to Judge Peterson, the 12-year sentence serves as a message that large-scale drug trafficking activities are unacceptable.
In a related case, Juan Ojeda, aged 31 from West Allis, Wisconsin, was sentenced to one year in federal prison for cocaine possession with intent to distribute. Ojeda's guilty plea was entered on December 16, 2024. Judge Peterson noted that Ojeda played a minor role in the trafficking organization and had no significant criminal history, which contributed to the shorter sentence.
The investigation into the drug trafficking organization began in late 2022, led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Agents discovered that Flores was coordinating the distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Communications were intercepted between Flores and a supplier in California, revealing that Fowler received multiple kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine, which he distributed to areas including Madison, Portage, and La Crosse.
The investigation revealed that in January 2023, Juan Ojeda traveled to Chicago, at Flores's direction, to obtain 12 kilograms of cocaine, which he then transported to Wisconsin. Further communication interceptions in February 2023 led to the seizure of a cocaine shipment as it traveled through Arizona toward Illinois, where Flores had arranged to receive part of the load.
In addition to sentencing Flores and Ojeda, four other individuals received convictions in March 2025 for their involvement in Flores's operation. Braulio Martinez-Salazar was sentenced to three years, Luis Angel Rios to nine years, David Junius to seven years, and Justin Purdy to eight years in federal prison.
The case resulted from an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Anderson and William M. Levins led the prosecution. The investigation was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), which coordinates multi-agency drug trafficking investigations.
