Former Arlington Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine

FORT WORTH, Texas — Baldemar Solis, aka “Balt,” 45, formerly of Arlington, Texas was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John McBryde to Life in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

Solis was convicted of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance at trial in February 2017. Solis, who had been a fugitive since 2012, has been in custody since the time of his arrest in September 2016.

“Drug traffickers who think they can just skip town when things get hot, be on notice,” said U.S. Attorney Parker. “We have the resources, determination, and patience to find you and bring you to justice, however long that may take.”

Evidence introduced at trial showed that Solis was a multi-kilogram methamphetamine distributor who routinely supplied members of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas with methamphetamine. Evidence introduced at trial also showed that in approximately June 2012, as law enforcement officers from various agencies began arresting Solis’s co-conspirators, Solis fled the area and remained in hiding in South Texas until his apprehension in September 2016.

According to documents filed in the case, beginning in January 2011 and continuing until June 2012, Solis, along with others did knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate, and agree to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

The Arlington Police Department, Tarrant County Narcotics Unit, Grand Prairie Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn Smith and Aisha Saleem prosecuted.

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