BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A federal judge today sentenced a California man on a drug trafficking charge, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley.
U.S. District Court Judge Sharon L. Blackburn sentenced Esteban Roberto Ortiz, 43, to 300 months in prison. Ortiz was convicted in February of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. The jury also returned a special verdict that the offense involved more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.
Evidence at trial proved that Ortiz conspired with others to transport approximately 11 pounds of methamphetamine and 4 pounds of marijuana from California to Alabama. Ortiz coordinated couriers to travel to Alabama in a vehicle containing an after-market hidden compartment where the methamphetamine and marijuana were stored. After the couriers were stopped in Oklahoma, agents from DEA Oklahoma City and DEA Birmingham coordinated a controlled delivery of this car to Alabaster, Alabama, to meet Ortiz, where he was taken into custody. Evidence at trial further showed that, ahead of the vehicle’s arrival, Ortiz was planning for the distribution of these drugs to a network of drug associates in Alabama.
The DEA investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Garnett and Ryan Rummage prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys