Clinton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison on Cocaine Charge

MADISON, WI—John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jose Espinoza, 30, Clinton, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb to 78 months in prison for attempting to possess more than five kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute it. This prison term will be followed by four years of supervised release. Espinoza pleaded guilty to this charge on October 17, 2012.

Through a series of telephone calls over the weekend of July 21, 2012, it was agreed between an informant and Espinoza that they would meet on July 24, 2012, for the defendant to purchase cocaine. An undercover officer went to the location where the sale was to take place and the informant introduced the officer to Espinoza as the source of the drugs. The undercover officer negotiated the sale of approximately five kilograms of cocaine to the defendant. The defendant indicated that he would pay for one kilogram of cocaine and purchase the remaining four kilograms subject to their quality. The undercover officer then showed Espinoza five kilograms of fake cocaine. Espinoza left the area and returned a short time later with his brother, Johnny Espinoza. The defendant showed the officer approximately $23,000. The defendant and his brother were then arrested. Johnny Espinoza, 31, also of Clinton, was indicted on this charge on August 1, 2012, and is scheduled to go to trial in May 2013.

The charges against Espinoza were the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Beloit Police Department; Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation; Stateline Area Narcotics Team; Rockford Police Department; FBI Safe Streets Task Force; Rock County Sheriff’s Department; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and Illinois State Police. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman.