PHOENIX (LAWFUEL) – Jose Angel Sanchez-Castaneda, 42, of Acaponeta, Nayarit, Mexico, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge James A. Teilborg to 168 months in prison. Sanchez-Castaneda previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
According to the factual basis of the plea agreement, Sanchez-Castaneda agreed that he had conspired to possess with intent to distribute over 22 kilograms of cocaine. Sanchez-Castaneda was responsible for organizing the distribution of cocaine throughout the United States from January 2002 to May 2003. He was specifically responsible, along with his co-conspirators, for several shipments of cocaine from Phoenix, Arizona to Raleigh, North Carolina. The drugs and proceeds were transported using pick-up trucks driven by couriers.
The investigation in this case was conducted by Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution was handled by Lynne T. Ingram, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-04-0011-PHX-JAT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2008-188(Sanchez-Castaneda)
