A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced April 28, 2022, to more than fifteen years in federal prison.
Jose Sandoval, 39, originally from Webster City, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 5, 2013, guilty plea to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. After entering a guilty plea, Sandoval absconded from federal authorities and lived in Mexico for eight years to avoid the consequences of his criminal activity. In 2021, Sandoval turned himself in to federal law enforcement at the U.S.-Mexico border. Sandoval received an obstruction of justice sentencing enhancement for his flight from federal supervision.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that Sandoval was involved in a conspiracy distributing methamphetamine from about January 2012 through January 2013. Sandoval admitted to selling up to quarter pound quantities of methamphetamine every 1-2 weeks throughout 2012 up to January 9, 2013, throughout central Iowa. On January 9, 2013, officers executed a search warrant of Sandoval’s residence and seized various items of drug distribution paraphernalia, including digital scales and $3,000, as well as six firearms. Sandoval also admitted to purchasing the firearms with the expectation of selling them for profit.
Sandoval was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Sandoval was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. Sandoval must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Sandoval is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Webster City Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Wright County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 13-3003. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.