Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
Ildiberto Gonzalez Jr., 30, of San Bernardino, California, was sentenced to 14 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Gonzalez admitted his involvement in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in the Charleston area.
Court documents and statements revealed that on March 18, 2023, Gonzalez was instructed by co-conspirator Alejandro Gallegos to transport approximately 196 pounds of methamphetamine and four kilograms of cocaine from California to Bluefield, West Virginia. Using his 2009 Freightliner semi-truck with an attached trailer, Gonzalez delivered the substances. On March 22, 2023, he met a co-conspirator in Bluefield and exchanged the shipment for what he believed was $400,000.
Gonzalez was stopped by law enforcement while driving away from the transaction. During the stop, he notified Gallegos by phone. Officers seized his cell phone and a loaded 9mm pistol found in the truck’s cab.
Gonzalez admitted to making similar deliveries previously under Gallegos's direction and transporting cash back to California for Gallegos.
Operation Smoke and Mirrors led to the indictment of Gonzalez, Gallegos, and 30 others. The investigation resulted in the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history: over 400 pounds of methamphetamine, along with significant quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, firearms, and cash.
Gallegos pleaded guilty on June 20, 2024. Of the indicted individuals, 29 have pleaded guilty. Mark Leslie Lively was found guilty by a federal jury on July 17, 2024. Indictments against remaining defendants are pending.
United States Attorney Will Thompson praised the efforts of multiple agencies including the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, MDENT team members such as Charleston Police Department and Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office among others.
Chief United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed Gonzalez's sentence with Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuting the case.
The investigation is part of OCDETF's strategy against major drug trafficking organizations since its inception in 1982. OCDETF aims to dismantle serious threats posed by these organizations through coordinated efforts across federal and local agencies.
Related court documents can be accessed via PACER under Case No. 1:23-cr-32.
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