CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Fourteen members of a major drug organization, with connections to Mexican drug cartels, that trafficked cocaine and fentanyl and possessed firearms illegally in the Charlotte area were sentenced Wednesday, according to the United States Attorney’s Office.
The sentences are a result of a two-year investigation into the operation that has ties to Mexican drug cartels.
Court documents revealed that the 14 members distributed hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl and other narcotics in the Charlotte area from 2017 to 2022.
Through various means, investigators seized 328 kilograms of cocaine, 26 kilograms of fentanyl, and a kilogram of heroin.
Law enforcement reportedly seized 60 firearms, 18 high-capacity magazines and ammunition and two tractor trailers that had hidden compartments to smuggle narcotics. Additionally, they seized more than $2.4 million in drug money, over $300,000 in jewelry, two residences, 10 vehicles and a boat.
Below are the names of the suspects and their sentences:
- Salvador Barrera Jr., 28, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 24 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
- Ricardo Johnathan Gomez, 28, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
- Johnny Lane Owens Sr., 46, of Albemarle, North Carolina, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
- Isaac Sandoval, 31, of Salisbury, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.
- Adrian Christopher Solares, 33, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 135 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
- Luis Raymundo Macias-Robles, 32, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 121 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
- Norberto Macedo Jr., 29, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 95 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Derek Duane Crump, 42, of Albemarle, was sentenced to 77 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Christian Alexander Hernandez, 29, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 74 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
- Erik Perales, 28, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 72 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release.
- Jesus Adrian Perales, 32, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Janquil Josselyn Jackson, 30, of Los Angeles, was sentenced to 37 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.
- Christok Alexander Mata, 21, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 36 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.
- David George Jansen, 45, of Indian Land, South Carolina, was sentenced to 14 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
