Oklahoma Man Sentenced To 5 Years In Federal Prison For Drug Trafficking

Fayetteville, Arkansas - Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Jose Luis Vaca, age 32, of Claremore, Oklahoma, was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $3,000.00 fine on one count of Possession with intent 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 October 12, 2016, the Fourth Judicial Drug Taskforce (4^th JDTF)  received a tip from a confidential informant that a Hispanic male would be traveling from Tulsa, OK to a residence in Springdale, AR with approximately one-half pound of Methamphetamine. The residence was known to detectives as a drug trafficking residence. At 9:03pm, detectives observed a known white Infiniti M45 approach the aforementioned residence. After confirming the license tag on the vehicle, detectives made contact with the driver and sole occupant, Jose Vaca. Vaca initially provided a false name to law enforcement officers but confirmed that he intended to visit the residence he parked in front of although he did not know the occupants. After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, detectives located approximately one-half pound of Methamphetamine, in two separate packages, concealed inside the glove compartment. Vaca admitted to possessing the Methamphetamine, stating he regularly drives around with amounts of Methamphetamine in his vehicle.

The substance seized was sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for testing. The lab determined that it was a mixture of a substance that contained methamphetamine weighing approximately 163.98 grams.

Vaca was indicted by a federal grand jury in March, 2017 and plead guilty in August, 2017.

This case was investigated by the 4^th JDTF.  Assistant United States Attorney Denis Dean prosecuted the case for the United States.