Franklin County Man to Serve Almost 20 Years in Federal Prison

A man who was responsible for the sale of high-grade methamphetamine in the North Central Iowa area was sentenced on July 5, 2011 to just less than 20 years in federal prison.

Jorge Juarez-Morales, 26, from Hampton, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 30, 2011 jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of distributing methamphetamine.

Evidence at trial showed that defendant had agreed with others to sell high-grade methamphetamine in the North Central Iowa area. On two occasions in May 2010, defendant sold high-grade methamphetamine to an individual for $2,000 per ounce. Evidence also showed that defendant sold methamphetamine to other individuals throughout 2010.

Juarez-Morales was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Juarez-Morales was sentenced to 235 months’ imprisonment on each count, with each sentence running concurrently. A special assessment of $300 was imposed. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Juarez-Morales is being held in the United States Marshals custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Justin Lightfoot and investigated by the North Central Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office, Mason City Police Department, Clear Lake Police Department, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Hampton Police Department, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and FBI.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 10-3055.