Lubbock, Texas, Woman Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy

LUBBOCK —Julia Ann Puentes, 33, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 60 months in federal prison, following her guilty plea in December 2016 to her role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

Puentes pleaded guilty to one count of use of the mail in aid of racketeering. She has been on pretrial release, with conditions, since her arrest in November 2016.

According to plea documents in the case, on June 19, 2015, law enforcement executed a search warrant at 2309 Birch Avenue, Lubbock, Texas after receiving information that the Sinaloa Cartel sent three people to Lubbock to distribute methamphetamine for the cartel. Those three individuals were identified as Juan Carlos Pinales, Ramon Osvaldo Escobar-Robles, and Jesus Mario Moreno-Perez. Pinales, Escobar-Robles and Moreno-Perez were charged in a separate indictment and were sentenced in January 2016 to sentences ranging from 78-151 months in federal prison.

Puentes according to a drug ledger seized from 2309 Birch Avenue, had received about 82 ounces of methamphetamine from Pinales, Escobar-Robles, and Moreno-Perez. Puentes was also in contact with a methamphetamine distributor for the Sinaloa Cartel who resided in Mexico. Puentes communicated with the distributor 78 times from January 28, 2016, to June 10, 2016. During this time frame, Puentes received one pound of methamphetamine through the mail. After receiving that package with one pound of methamphetamine, Puentes distributed that methamphetamine to others.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Lubbock Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Haag prosecuted.

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