Dallas-area drug trafficker sentenced to serve more than 35 years in federal prison on conspiracy and money laundering convictions

DALLAS — One of the principal defendants charged in a major drug distribution conspiracy that operated in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex and elsewhere was sentenced Thursday to more than 35 years in federal prison.

This sentence was announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. FBI, Dallas Police Department, and Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation led the investigation. The following agencies assisted with the investigation: Texas Department of Public Safety; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO); DFW Department of Public Safety; U.S. Department of State; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Transportation Security Administration; the U.S. Secret Service; and the Texas police departments of Fort Worth, McKinney, Mesquite and Plano.

Jose Guerrero, aka “J.D.,” 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle to serve a total of 425 months in federal prison.

Guerrero pleaded guilty in September 2015 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of money laundering. Judge Boyle sentenced him to 425 months on the drug conspiracy conviction and 240 months on the money laundering conviction, which will run concurrently. Guerrero will also forfeit $20,970 in U.S. currency found by federal agents in his safety deposit box in July 2015, $40,276 seized from a bank account in July 2015, a firearm, and a 2007 Hummer H3 vehicle.

According to documents filed in the case, beginning in November 2012, Guerra, along with Tony Ruvalcaba, aka “Lil Tony,” Eusebio Martinez Ramirez Jr., aka “Sip,” “Eduardo Ruvalcaba, aka “Lalo,” Noel Escamilla, Octavius Donnel Williams and Kenneth Johnson, aka “KJ,” conspired to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Court documents indicate that Guerrero admitted he was being supplied multi-kilogram amounts of methamphetamine which he then worked to distribute to various individuals. Court documents reveal that Guerrero provided a price list of $9,000 to $9,500 per pound of methamphetamine or $17,000 to $17,500 per kilogram.

With regard to Guerra’s money laundering conviction, Guerra admitted that on Feb. 22, 2013, he accepted $13,000 cash from co-defendant Ernest Olivarez, knowing that the money he received was illegal drug proceeds. Guerrero also admitted that, in August 2013, he provided $17,040 in drug money to an undercover officer so that it could be laundered.

Assistant U.S. Attorney George Leal, Northern District of Texas, is prosecuting this case.