Rachel C. Hernandez Acting United States Attorney for the District of Arizona | U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona
Armando Puentes-Melendez, a 38-year-old Mexican national, was sentenced to 60 months in prison by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash. The sentencing, which occurred on April 24, 2025, followed Puentes-Melendez's guilty plea to charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
On January 18, 2024, law enforcement intercepted a significant drug transaction involving over 100 pounds of methamphetamine. Puentes-Melendez and two accomplices were apprehended after meeting with an undercover agent in Phoenix to facilitate the deal. During the operation, while the methamphetamine was being retrieved from a nearby stash house, Puentes-Melendez reportedly discussed potential future drug deals with the agent. Law enforcement intervened once the drugs were confirmed to be en route, leading to the arrest of Puentes-Melendez and his co-conspirators.
This case falls under the larger umbrella of Operation Take Back America, a national initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combatting illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and safeguarding communities from violent crimes. This operation brings together resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations, with the prosecution managed by the United States Attorney's Office in the District of Arizona, Tucson.
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, their website is available at http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/.
