MILWAUKE, WI – Matthew D. Krueger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on November 2, 2020, Maximino Vargas (age: 46) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was sentenced to a term of ten years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1); and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).
According to court documents, between March and June 2019, Vargas sold a DEA confidential source high-purity amounts of methamphetamine on four occasions. The methamphetamine quantities ranged between approximately 28 grams and 168 grams. Laboratory testing later confirmed the methamphetamine ranged between 99% and 100% pure. On two other occasions during the same period, Vargas sold the confidential source approximately two ounces of cocaine. Vargas conducted these drug transaction near his Milwaukee residence, which was located in close proximity to the Alexander Mitchell Integrated Arts School – a public elementary and middle school and designated drug-free zone. On June 17, 2019, law-enforcement authorities executed a search warrant at Mr. Vargas’s Milwaukee residence.
The officers found several items consistent with drug-trafficking activity, including approximately 1.45 kilograms (3.2 pounds) of methamphetamine, 205 grams of cocaine, 43 grams of cocaine, a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a Schryver model S-15 5.56 caliber rifle, a Glock 42 .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol, digital scales, multiple cellular phones, and $21,186 in U.S. currency (a search of the same residence in January 2019 yielded controlled substances, firearms, and $48,000 in U.S. currency as well).
In pronouncing sentence, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman noted the serious nature of the offense and the history and characteristics of the defendant.