A violent drug dealer was sentenced today to 50 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
A jury convicted Gilbert Joseph Carrasco, 44, of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after just seven minutes of deliberation in August 2022. He was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, who noted that the defendant’s violent past – including multiple physical assaults with his fists, a screwdriver, and even a brick – warranted the sentence.
According to evidence presented at trial, undercover agents arranged to purchase methamphetamine from 25-year-old Catrina Palmer on April 28, 2020. Mr. Carrasco drove Ms. Palmer to the undercover buy. Agents located a trap in the dashboard of his truck that contained methamphetamine. Investigation later revealed that Mr. Carrasco was Ms. Palmer’s methamphetamine supplier.
In an interview, Mr. Carrasco admitted to receiving and distributing methamphetamine. He also admitted to being a convicted felon and knowingly possession a .22 bolt action rifle he said he obtained on the “streets.”
Ms. Palmer pled guilty in April 2021 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
The Amarillo Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Tusing and Joshua Frausto prosecuted the case with the help of Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Marie Bell.
