KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican nationwide was sentenced in federal courtroom at this time for his function in a conspiracy that distributed greater than 2,600 kilograms of cocaine within the Kansas Metropolis metropolitan space.
Jesus Salvador Campoy-Estrada, often known as “Chava” and “Chavita,” 27, of Kansas Metropolis, Kansas, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Choose Beth Phillips to 12 years in federal jail with out parole. The courtroom additionally ordered Campoy-Estrada to forfeit to the federal government $12,150,000, which represents the proceeds of unlawful drug trafficking.
On Dec. 19, 2019, Campoy-Estrada pleaded responsible to at least one depend of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and one depend of cash laundering. He’s the ultimate defendant amongst 13 defendants to be sentenced on this case.
When Campoy-Estrada was arrested, regulation enforcement searched his residence and located $111,995 that he admitted was illicit drug proceeds, marijuana, a drug ledger, and a loaded XD 9mm semi-automatic handgun.
Campoy-Estrada was a main organizer in a drug-trafficking group that distributed substantial quantities of cocaine from Mexico within the Kansas Metropolis metropolitan space from October 2013 to Nov. 15, 2018. Campoy-Estrada admitted that he was personally accountable for the distribution of properly in extra of 450 kilograms of cocaine throughout his involvement with the bigger conspiracy. At one level, he distributed roughly 10 to twenty kilograms of cocaine every week.
Campoy-Estrada obtained substantial sums of cash from his involvement within the drug-trafficking conspiracy, which he transformed to different types of property, equivalent to actual property, in an effort to hide the illicit nature of the drug proceeds.
Campoy-Estrada acquired cocaine from the chief of the conspiracy, co-defendant Jose Luis Armendariz-Rascon, often known as “Uncle” or “Rambo,” 41, of Kansas Metropolis, Kan. Campoy-Estrada then offered cocaine to different cocaine sellers, together with co-defendant Howard Christopher Walters, often known as “Chris,” 44, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Investigators intercepted a number of phone calls during which Campoy-Estrada and Walters mentioned the sale of a number of kilograms of cocaine to Walters. Regulation enforcement additionally intercepted many different wire and digital communications between Campoy-Estrada and individuals he offered cocaine to through the course of the conspiracy.
Armendariz-Rascon was sentenced on Might 21, 2021, to fifteen years in federal jail with out parole. Walters was sentenced on April 21, 2021, to 25 years in federal jail with out parole after pleading responsible to his function within the drug-trafficking conspiracy. The courtroom additionally ordered Armendariz-Rascon to forfeit to the federal government greater than $56 million, which represents the proceeds of unlawful drug trafficking.
Armendariz-Rascon was in control of coordinating the transportation of a great deal of cocaine from the El Paso, Texas, space to the Kansas Metropolis metropolitan space for distribution. Armendariz-Rascon would then coordinate the gathering of bulk money that was despatched again to El Paso as cost for the cocaine.
Otilio Zaragoza-Navarrette, 65, of El Paso, delivered cocaine to Jose Armendariz-Rascon in addition to to Campoy-Estrada and Miguel Armendariz-Rascon, 33, a citizen of Mexico residing in Olathe, Kan. Zaragoza-Navarrette and Miguel Armendariz-Rascon have pleaded responsible and been sentenced.
Zaragoza-Navarette additionally transported illicit drug proceeds from the drug-trafficking group again to Texas and/or to Mexico. Zaragoza-Navarrette hid the cocaine and/or the money proceeds within five-gallon fuel cans and anti-freeze jugs on his business semi-tractor trailer. In a single occasion, regulation enforcement officers seized practically $500,000 from Zaragoza-Navarrette, who was transferring the illicit drug proceeds in an operation orchestrated by Armendariz-Rascon.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trey Alford and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, IRS-Prison Investigation and the Lee’s Summit, Mo., Police Division.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Job Forces
This effort is a part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Job Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level prison organizations that threaten america utilizing a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency method. Extra details about the OCDETF Program may be discovered at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
