Arizona Man Sentenced on Drug Charges
U.S. Attorney’s Office November 19, 2009 |
United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg and the Tri-City Drug Task Force, Nebraska State Patrol and the FBI announce the following information for the attention of the media:
Event Triggering this Release: Ignacio Sandoval-Sianuqui was sentenced on November 17, 2009, to 292 months imprisonment by the Honorable Richard G. Kopf, United States District Judge, following Sandoval-Sianuqui’s conviction of conspiring to distribute, and posses with the intent to distribute, 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Several witnesses testified at the sentencing hearing that they were threatened by Sandoval-Sianuqui after Sandoval-Sianuqui learned they had provided the Government with information leading to Sandoval-Sianuqui’s arrest. One of the witnesses and a Saline County Deputy Sheriff testified that Sandoval-Sianuqui struck the witness while they were in the presence of the Deputy Sheriff at a time when the two were being held at the Saline County Jail. The Honorable Richard G. Kopf found that Sandoval- Sianuqui earned an enhancement under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines for obstruction of justice due to Sandoval-Sianuqui striking one of the witnesses against Sandoval-Sianuqui.
The witnesses testified that Sandoval-Sianuqui was residing in Phoenix, Arizona and that they received methamphetamine from Sandoval-Sianuqui on several occasion in Phoenix, Arizona. The witnesses received several pounds of methamphetamine at a time from Sandoval-Sianuqui and that methamphetamine was distributed to others in Kansas and Nebraska. The witnesses stated they sent back hundreds of thousands of dollars to Sandoval-Sianuqui in payment for the methamphetamine. The Honorable Richard G. Kopf commented that the total amount of payments to Sandoval-Sianuqui exceeded one million dollars.
Name of Defendant: Ignacio Sandoval-Sianuqui
AKA: Nacho
Age: 39
City of residence: Phoenix, Arizona
Crime(s) Charged and Potential Penalty (A CHARGE is merely an accusation and every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty) Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, 10 years to life imprisonment, up to a $4,000,000 fine, or both imprisonment and fine, not less than 5 years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
Specific Location of Alleged Crime: Grand Island, Nebraska; Kansas; and Phoenix, Arizona.
Location of Arrest: Phoenix, Arizona
Alleged Dollar Loss/Type and Quantity of Drug:
Others Charged in Same Scheme:
Relevant Dates:
Date of Alleged Crime: Beginning from an unknown date but at least as early as September, 2007, and continuing through July 2, 2008.
Federal Arrest Date: September 5, 2008.
Date Complaint Issued:
Indictment Returned Date: August 20, 2008
Initial Appearance Date: October 27, 2008
Plea or Trial and Date(s): Sandoval-Sianuqui pled guilty on June 18, 2009
Sentencing Date: November 17, 2009
Next Court Hearing Type and Date:
Assigned Magistrate Judge:
Held without Bond, or Released from Custody: Sandoval-Sianuqui was held in custody since his arrest on September 5, 2009.
In Continuous Custody Since: September 5, 2009.
Assigned District Court Judge: Honorable Richard G. Kopf
Initials of Assigned AUSA/Preparer of THIS Release: MM