GRAND RAPIDS,Mich. — According to a press release from the Department of Justice 5-men have been convicted in record crystal meth seizure.
U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Miles, Jr., announced that five men have been convicted in connection what is believed to be the largest seizure of crystal methamphetamine (or “ice”) in the state of Michigan. In June of 2012, a confidential informant told the Department of Homeland Security about a large amount of crystal meth that was being offered for sale in Southwestern Michigan. A Michigan State Police undercover officer was introduced to a person selling the meth, and several undercover purchases were made. In August of 2012, more than 20 pounds of pure crystal meth were seized from a vehicle and pole barn in Van Buren County. The meth had a wholesale value of nearly $1/2 million, and is believed to be the largest seizure of crystal meth in Michigan.
Five men were indicted for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute the seized methamphetamine. Four of those men, Alejandro Garcia, age 45, of Grand Junction, MI; Thomas Streich, age 59, of Lawton, MI; and Jon Jeannin, Jr., age 33, and Brent Kellerman, age 25, both of the Kansas City, MO area; pled guilty to the conspiracy charge before trial. On June 18, 2013, a federal jury in Grand Rapids found Jose Sierra-Villegas, age 39, of Kansas City, MO, guilty of the conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute charges, following a five-day trial before the Hon. Robert J. Jonker.
Alejandro Garcia was recently sentenced to 108 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy. The other defendants remain in custody awaiting sentencing of up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Miles praised the cooperative effort of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in this investigation: “This case prevented an extremely large amount of crystal meth from flooding our community. It is an excellent example of what can be accomplished when federal, state and local law enforcement agencies share their resources and focus their mutual attention on a large drug trafficking group.” The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Michigan State Police Metropolitan Enforcement Team (MET), with assistance from other state and local agencies.
