FAYETTEVILLE -- Two California men were sentenced Wednesday in Fort Smith to more than 13 years in prison for federal drug trafficking charges.
Elijah Buckhalter, 23, of Compton, Calif., was sentenced to two years in prison followed by two years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Alberto Gonzalez, 33, of Lynwood, Calif., was sentenced to 11 years and eight months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and 11 years and eight months followed by five years of supervised release on one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. The sentences are to run concurrent.
"The dream that these drug traffickers envisioned of bringing large quantities of methamphetamine into our state and setting up shop came to an end today," U.S. Attorney Conner Eldridge said in a news release.
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration and 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force were investigating transportation of methamphetamine from the Compton area to Springdale, according to court records. During the investigation, they were made aware of a source of supply, later identified as Gonzalez.
Several recorded phone calls were made to Gonzalez in October 2014 to arrange for 4 pounds of meth to be brought from California to Springdale.
On October 30, as investigators watched, Gonzalez and a man later identified as Jonathan Madrigal got off a bus and into the car of a confidential informant who drove them to a motel in Springdale. In the car they discussed the shipment of meth that was to arrive later that day and Gonzalez indicated he planned to set up a drug trafficking business in Northwest Arkansas that would involve large quantities from California.
Gonzalez told the informant Madrigal and Buckhalter would be staying in Arkansas to help with the distribution of the meth.
The informant later returned to the motel, picked up Gonzalez and met Buckhalter at a truck stop where they took bags out of a truck and placed them in the informant's vehicle. The informant and Gonzalez went to a Dollar General Store where they were going to buy bags to break the meth into smaller quantities.
Officers arrived at the store and arrested them both while other officers arrested Buckhalter and Madrigal who were near the motel.
Police found a red and black bag containing about 4 pounds of meth in the informant's vehicle. It tested to be 97 percent pure.
Gonzalez and Buckhalter were indicted by a federal grand jury in November and both pleaded guilty March 12.
Madrigal, 26, of Compton, was also indicted by a federal grand jury in November and pleaded guilty April 20 to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He will be sentenced at a later date.
NW News on 07/30/2015