Cartel Member Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To Distribute More Than Eleven Pounds Of Methamphetamine In Lee County
(FORT MYERS, Fla..) - Juan Carlos (37, San Diego, California) pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute more than 11 pounds of methamphetamine. He faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, a Drug Enforcement (DEA) undercover (UC) made contact with Gonzalez after learning that he was associated with a drug trafficking organization operating out of Tijuana, Mexico. Gonzalez agreed to send a sample of his product, without payment, from California to the UC in Florida. The sample, which arrived in Fort Myers on April 17, 2017, was nearly two pounds of 99% pure methamphetamine. When Gonzalez and the UC discussed how much more product could be delivered in the future, Gonzalez said his supply was “unlimited.” In the following months, Gonzalez sent over nine more pounds of methamphetamine to the UC. DEA laboratory testing confirmed these later shipments were 100% pure methamphetamine.
On August 16, 2017, Gonzalez was arrested by federal agents at the San Ysidro port of entry coming from Mexico into California.
This case was investigated by the DEA Fort Myers Resident Office and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
More information about this case can be found at http://www.flmd.uscourts.gov or https://ecf.flmd.uscourts.gov