Man Sentenced To 135 Months In Federal Prison For Trafficking Methamphetamine

      LITTLE ROCK—Gilberto Pedraza Contreras will spend the next 135 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.

      Judge Rudofsky sentenced Contreras to 135 months imprisonment and five years supervised release to follow his prison sentence. Contreras faced a maximum sentence of not less than life in prison, not less than five years supervised release, and a fine of not more $10,000,000. There is no parole in the federal system.

      On July 6, 2022, Contreras, 37, of Michoacan, Mexico, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute and one count of distribution and possession of a controlled substance. On October 30, 2023, Contreras pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

      On June 15, 2022, agents conducted an operation targeting Contreras, who intended to distribute 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. When Contreras arrived at the location, agents blocked Contreras’s vehicle to minimize the chance of a vehicle pursuit. After Contreras struck an agent’s vehicle with his vehicle, he was taken into custody. Agents located approximately 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in Contreras’ vehicle. After the traffic stop, agents executed a search warrant at Contreras’ residence and located an additional 5 kilograms of methamphetamine.         

      The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance of the Arkansas State Police and Little Rock Police Department.

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Additional information about the office of the

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

https://www.justice.gov/edar

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