Texas Man Sentenced To 10 Years In Federal Prison For Possessing Over 20 Pounds Combined Of Fentanyl And Cocaine

Hot Springs, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that Johnny Rodriguez, age 22, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute more than 400 grams of Fentanyl. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.

In August 2019, an Arkansas State Police Trooper stopped a vehicle operated by Rodriguez, for a traffic offense. After receiving consent and searching the vehicle, the Trooper discovered a false compartment in the vehicle.  A search of the compartment resulted in the Trooper locating approximately 12 kilograms of a controlled substance that field tested positive for cocaine.  Rodriguez was arrested without incident.

The substance was submitted to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Crime lab for testing and tested positive for 4909 grams of fentanyl and 4469 grams of cocaine.

Rodriguez plead guilty to an information in June of 2020. 

This case was investigated by the Arkansas State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Achorn prosecuted the case for the Western District of Arkansas.