Rogers Man Sentenced To Over 5 Years In Federal Prison For Aiding And Abetting In The Distribution Of Methamphetamine

Fayetteville, Arkansas - Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Manuel Ortiz Jr.,  age 37, of Rogers, was sentenced today to 63 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $35,000.00 fine on one count of Aiding and Abetting in the Distribution of Methamphetamine. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

According to court records, in March of 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) utilizing a confidential source (CS) placed a recorded phone call to Ortiz. During the call, the CS asked Ortiz about purchasing one ounce of methamphetamine. Ortiz directed the CS to go to a grocery market in the Western District of Arkansas and purchase the ounce of methamphetamine. The substance purchased was sent to the DEA South Central Laboratory for testing. The lab determined that the substance contained 27.5 grams of actual methamphetamine.

Ortiz was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2017 and entered a guilty plea in August 2017.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).  Assistant United States Attorney Kim Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.