Jose Alberto Camarena Rocha, a 31-year-old from Mexico, has admitted responsibility in a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Rocha pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess and intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and illegal reentry into the United States. Court documents and statements indicate that Rocha, who resided in California, used his ties to the Sinaloa Drug Cartel to supply controlled substances, which were distributed by others in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties.
For the drug charge, Rocha faces a minimum of 10 years and up to a life sentence in federal prison, with the illegal reentry charge carrying a penalty of up to two years. The final sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge, who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is leading the prosecution for the government. The investigation was spearheaded by the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, with support from various other agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, among others.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aiming to combat illegal immigration, eradicate cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime. The operation combines resources from the Department of Justice's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided over the proceedings.
Find the related press release here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/twenty-five-charged-drug-trafficking-eastern-panhandle
