Henry Lopez Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on October 10, 2012, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, Henry Lopez, a 50-year-old resident of Los Angeles, California, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Sentencing has been set for January 14, 2013. He is currently detained.

In an offer of proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Betley, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

During late November 2010, Lopez, Louis Romero, and X.X. began devising a plan and agreement to distribute methamphetamine from Los Angeles, California, and Seattle, Washington, to the state of Montana. April Tyson and Anthony Yeverino also became involved in this agreement. Lopez, Romero, and X.X. helped find people in Montana to distribute and sell the methamphetamine in Browning and Great Falls.

In early 2011, Lopez, Romero, and X.X. began supplying and fronting a confidential source (CS) with methamphetamine to sell in Montana. The CS was instructed to return the payments from the sale of the methamphetamine to Lopez, Romero, and X.X.. From approximately January through May of 2011, over 500 or more grams of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine was distributed in Browning and Great Falls under the direction of Lopez, Romero, and X.X.. In addition, on two separate occasions in June 2012, Lopez mailed over 50 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine to Great Falls.

Lopez faces possible penalties of life in prison, a $10,000,000 fine, and five years’ supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Task Force.