PORTLAND, Ore.—On May 25, 2022, a Hillsboro, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison for leading a Hillsboro area methamphetamine distribution cell that was part of a conspiracy to traffic large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl from Mexico for resale in Oregon and Washington State.
John Armas, 44, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, Armas’ Hillsboro methamphetamine distribution cell was part of a larger drug trafficking network led by Victor Alvarez Farfan, 50, of Oregon City, Oregon. Armas would receive pounds of methamphetamine at his residence from Farfan or associates of Farfan and, in turn, transfer it to various co-conspirators for storage or further distribution. From May 2018 through October 2018, Armas planned and coordinated the transfer and distribution of more than 5 kilograms of methamphetamine.
On October 17, 2018, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a nine-count indictment charging Armas, Farfan, and 20 co-defendants with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances; use of a communication facility, including cellular telephones, in the commission of a controlled substances felony; maintaining drug-involved premises to manufacture and distribute controlled substances; interstate distribution of drug proceeds and money laundering.
On October 24, 2018, a coordinated law enforcement operation led by the FBI with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Westside Interagency Narcotics (WIN) Task Force and the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF) resulted in the arrest of Armas, Farfan and many of their co-defendants. As part of the operation, investigators searched Armas’ Hillsboro residence and seized a handgun and drug packaging material.
On January 13, 2020, Armas pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. On November 23, 2021, Farfan became the last of 23 co-defendants charged in the conspiracy to plead guilty. On March 4, 2022, Farfan was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon and is the result of a joint investigation by FBI, HSI, WIN, and CCITF. Forfeiture was litigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Division.
WIN includes representatives from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Beaverton Police Department, Hillsboro Police Department, Tigard Police Department, Oregon National Guard Counterdrug Program, and FBI. CCITF includes representatives from Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Canby Police Department, Oregon State Police, HSI, and FBI.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.