Two Mexican Nationals Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in the Metro East

Donald S. Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Christian Renteria-Espinoza, age 32, and Raul Salazar-Ortega, age 35, both Mexican citizens, were sentenced on Friday, April 27, 2018, for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Renteria-Espinoza was sentenced to 90 months imprisonment, and Salazar-Ortega to 78 months.

Both men admitted that they had been active members of an organization which shipped large quantities of "ICE" (99% pure meth) from San Diego, California, to the Metro East region in 2016. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized 15 pounds of ICE in San Diego from Salazar at the time of his arrest.

The investigation which resulted in the arrest and conviction of the two men was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Garrison.