News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 27, 2007
DEA CONTACT:
Richard Isaacson
(313) 234-4000

Mexican Citizen Pleads Guilty for Distributing
Crystal Meth in Western Kentucky

AUG 27-- PADUCAH, KY - Pedro Jarquin, age 26, an illegal alien and citizen of Mexico, who was residing at 512 North 15th Street, Mayfield, Kentucky (Graves County), pled guilty on August 22, 2007, to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney David L. Huber of the Western District of Kentucky announced today.

U.S. Attorney Huber said, “ This case is an excellent example of local, state, and federal law enforcement working together to take what at first appeared to be an isolated incident and through solid police work and interagency cooperation developed a case which removed a significant drug trafficker from the community.”

Jarquin admitted that between the Summer of 2006 and February 11, 2007, he and co-defendant Jamie Ortiz conspired with each other to possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine in McCracken and Graves Counties as well as aided and abetted each other in the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and that they each possessed a firearm in furtherance of their drug trafficking offenses. The crystal methamphetamine recovered by law enforcement in this case has a street value of over $19,400.00.

Specifically, Jarquin admitted that he started selling methamphetamine in the Summer of 2006 and sold co-defendant Ortiz two ounces of methamphetamine every two weeks at a rate of $1300 to $1500 per ounce. If Ortiz purchased four ounces the methamphetamine only cost $1200 per ounce. On one occasion during the course of the conspiracy, Jarquin sold Ortiz six ounces of methamphetamine. On occasion, to keep the methamphetamine safe, Jarquin would conceal the methamphetamine in a compartment in the door/side of his pickup truck and park his pickup truck at Ortiz's residence in Paducah, Kentucky.

On February 11, 2007, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jarquin's residence in Mayfield, Kentucky. Officers found a Hills Brothers coffee can with a false compartment that contained methamphetamine and a WD-40 can also with a false compartment that contained methamphetamine in the kitchen. Lab results showed that the methamphetamine weighed 133.9 net grams and consisted of 76.3 grams of actual methamphetamine. A search of Jarquin's bedroom revealed digital scales, meth pipes with residue, packaging material, approximately $22,000 in U.S. currency in the top dresser drawer, and a loaded Browning handgun directly below the currency. Jarquin admitted that he possessed the loaded Browning handgun in furtherance of his drug trafficking, namely to protect his drugs and money.

Co-defendant Jamie Ortiz is scheduled for a telephonic further proceedings on August 31, 2007. No trial date has been set at this time.

The maximum potential penalties are life imprisonment, a $6,250,000 fine, and supervised release for a period of at least five years; and the minimum potential penalties are 15 years imprisonment. Jarquin will be subject to deportation after serving his sentence.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michele Thielhorn, and it was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kentucky State Police, the McCracken County Sheriff’s Department, the Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force and the Mayfield Police Department.

The plea was entered before E. Robert Goebel, Magistrate Judge, United States District Court, Bowling Green, Kentucky. Jarquin is scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Thomas Russell on December 11, 2007, at 11:30 a.m. in Paducah, Kentucky.