California Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

            Fayetteville, Arkansas - Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Metin Metlu Sado, age 48, of Encinitas, California, was sentenced today to 87 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $9,900.00 fine on one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

            According to court records, on March 11, 2016, the Kansas City Interdiction Task Force along with the Drug Enforcement Administration in Kansas City, discovered approximately 8 ½ pounds of methamphetamine that was destined for Rogers, Arkansas at the Greyhound Bus Lines in Kansas City, Missouri. The investigation revealed that the methamphetamine belonged to Bryanna Almanza, a co-defendant in this case. On the same day, officers and agents maintained surveillance on Almanza as she was picked up by Metin Sado and driven to a hotel in Rogers. When the two arrived in the hotel parking lot, they were arrested. Upon a search of Sado’s vehicle, officers found the methamphetamine in the back seat. The suspected substance was sent to the DEA South Central Lab where it was determined to contain 2,966.7 grams of actual methamphetamine.

            Both Sado and Almanza were named in a federal indictment in March, 2016. Sado pleaded guilty in October, 2016. Almanza pleaded guilty in June, 2016. She was sentenced in November, 2016 to 38 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.

            “Methamphetamine brings turmoil into the lives of those who are addicted to or live around it,” stated Matthew Barden, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Little Rock District Office. “The sentence imposed in this case should be a warning to anyone thinking of polluting our communities with this addictive substance. DEA, along with our law enforcement partners are committed to investigating the smuggling and distribution of methamphetamine and other illegal and dangerous narcotics.”

            This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration of Fayetteville and Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City Police Department, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Fayetteville Police Department and Rogers Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brice White prosecuted the case for the United States.

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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov