DEA Investigation Nets 47 Years In Federal Prison For Drug Trafficking

Fort Smith, Arkansas - Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that David Hurl Lemmon, age 44, of Alma, Arkansas was sentenced today to 420 months in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release on one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and 180 months in federal prison to be served concurrently on one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Lemmon’s conviction was obtained after a 3-day jury trial last December.

Two of Lemmon’s co-defendants were also sentenced today. Pedro Valle, age 31, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Co-defendant Lisa Zamora, age 24, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison followed by 2 years of supervised release for one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Chief Judge P.K. Holmes III presided over the sentencing hearings in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.

According to court records, on January 22, 2016, a deputy with the Potter County, Texas Sheriff’s Office stopped a vehicle traveling eastbound on Interstate 40 near Amarillo, Texas. After obtaining consent to search the vehicle from the driver, Lisa Zamora, and the passenger, Hector Vasquez, the deputy located a suitcase in the trunk that contained approximately 50 pounds of suspected methamphetamine. Testing conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) South Central Laboratory determined that it was 22.11kg of 98.7% pure methamphetamine.

Law enforcement investigation determined that the transport of the methamphetamine was being facilitated by Pedro Valle, and that the methamphetamine was to be delivered to David Hurl Lemmon, who resided in Alma, Arkansas. The investigation also resulted in law enforcement recovering seven firearms, including a .40 caliber pistol, a 20-guage shotgun, and an AR-style assault rifle at Lemmon’s residence. Lemmon has at least one prior felony conviction that prohibited him from being in possession of firearms.

Lemmon, Valle, and Zamora were indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in March 2016. Valle, Zamora, and another co-defendant, John Spencer, pled guilty. Spencer is set for sentencing on June 27, 2017. Hector Vasquez failed to appear for trial and is currently a fugitive.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Potter County, Texas Sheriff’s Office, the Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office, the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Smith Police Department, and the Bernalillio County, New Mexico Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney’s Aaron Jennen and Candace Taylor 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