Spencer, Iowa — A Mexican citizen who has been living in Spencer pled guilty to a federal narcotics charge Tuesday.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office, 33-year old Jesus Jonathan Vazquez-Espinoza, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and living in Spencer, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Vazquez-Espinoza admitted in a plea agreement that he received approximately $10-thousand worth of methamphetamine in March 2017, and continued to receive an average of 1 pound of methamphetamine every two weeks until his arrest in April of this year. Vazquez-Espinoza also admitted to arranging for the methamphetamine to be delivered by mail to different residences in Iowa. At the time of Vazquez-Espinoza’s arrest, law enforcement reportedly seized over 2 pounds of methamphetamine and $8,712 in cash.
The U.S. Attorney says sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Vazquez-Espinoza remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Vazquez-Espinoza faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $5-million fine, and 5 years of supervised release following any imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal prison system.
Authorities say the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ajay J. Alexander, and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement with assistance from the Iowa Great Lakes Drug Task Force, which includes the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office, the O’Brien County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol, Spencer Police Department, the Okoboji Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
