United States Attorney James T. Jacks
Northern District of Texas

FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2011
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txn/

SEVERAL LUBBOCK RESIDENTS RECEIVE LONG
FEDERAL PRISON SENTENCES ON DRUG AND FIREARMS CONVICTIONS

LUBBOCK, Texas — This morning, in federal court in Lubbock, Texas, U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings sentenced several Lubbock residents following their drug and firearms convictions, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. These defendants, along with others were arrested by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents on November 3, 2010, on charges outlined in sealed federal indictments that had been returned by a grand jury in Lubbock in September 2010. In the course of executing several federal search and arrest warrants on that early morning takedown on November 3, law enforcement seized cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and firearms.

Michael Ruiz Peralez, 31, of Lubbock, was sentenced this morning to 180 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty in January 2011 to several counts of a superseding indictment including one count each of: 1) conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; 2) distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine; 3) possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and 4) convicted felon in possession of a firearm. His co-defendant, Bobby Joe Escobedo, 42, of Slaton, Texas, also pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison. Co-defendant Andrew Lee Reynolds, 47, of Lubbock, also pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 6, 2011.

Two defendants, both from Lubbock, charged in another related case, were also sentenced today. Judge Cummings sentenced Juan Bustamante, Jr., 44, to 162 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty in January 2011, to one count of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine. His co-defendant, Rene A. Benavides, 38, was sentenced to 135 months; he also pleaded guilty in January 2011, to distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

In another related case, two defendants, Monica Alicia Garcia, 31, and Delma Pequeno, 51, both of Lubbock, were sentenced today to 168 and 48 months, respectively. Garcia pleaded guilty in January 2011 to distribution and possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and Pequeno pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a communications facility.

 Defendant Jennifer Paige Moeller, also of Lubbock, was sentenced this morning by Judge Cummings to 37 months imprisonment. Moeller also pleaded guilty in January 2011 to distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Jasper Martinez, 33, also of Lubbock and who is charged in a related case, also pleaded guilty in January 2011 to one count each of: 1) distribution and possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine; 2) possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and 3) convicted felon in possession of firearms. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 13, 2011.

These Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) cases were investigated by the DEA, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Lubbock Police Department, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Slaton Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Haag, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lubbock, prosecuted.

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