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The US District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced him to 150 months in federal prison. After being freed from federal imprisonment, Mexican national Mendoza-Ruelas will also be subject to 5 years of federal monitoring.
Mendoza-Ruelas was involved in a drug trafficking organization that used a landscaping business to cover up their activities. The Drug Enforcement Administration found large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cash during their investigation.
Mendoza-Ruelas admitted that he received 50,000 to 60,000 fentanyl laced pills and large quantities of methamphetamine from the organization. He was arrested while negotiating a 30-pound methamphetamine delivery. During the investigation, law enforcement found over $160,000 in U.S. currency hidden in a wall compartment and automatic rifles on the wall at the landscaping compound, which was used to process and distribute drugs.
The Officials Statements
The Eastern District of Washington’s US Attorney, Vanessa R. Waldref, declared that “drug distribution continues to be a scourge in the Tri-Cities and elsewhere.” “I commend the cooperative efforts of state, local, and federal law enforcement to identify Mr. Mendoza-Ruelas’s drug trafficking activities and to prevent him from further disseminating this poison in our communities,” concluded U.S. Attorney Waldref.
As a consequence of today’s sentencing, the Tri-Cities region and Eastern Washington are safer and stronger.Because of the commitment of our state, local, and federal partners who continue to work to keep our communities safe, healthy, and free of people like him, Mr. Mendoza-Ruelas will serve an extensive period of time in prison, said Jacob D. Galvan, acting special agent in charge, DEA Seattle Field Division.
The DEA Tri-Cities, Border Patrol, METRO Drug Task Force, Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, and West Richland police departments all participated in the investigation of this case. Stephanie Van Marter, an assistant US attorney, handled the prosecution in this case.