Michael Jimenez, 37, of Newburgh, Indiana, and Jordan Jimenez, 30, of Evansville, Indiana, have been sentenced to federal prison for ten and fifteen years respectively, followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Jordan Jimenez also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, between May and July of 2022, the uncle and nephew duo worked together to buy and sell large quantities of methamphetamine in Southern Indiana. Jordan Jimenez obtained pounds of methamphetamine from his source of supply and then fronted a portion of that methamphetamine to his uncle Michael, who would repay Jordan upon reselling the methamphetamine to his own customers. The pair often acted as a joint business, sharing a customer base and coordinating drug quantities and prices.
On July 15, 2022, officers with the Evansville Police Department stopped Jordan for speeding and a K9 officer indicated the presence of illegal drugs in the car. During a search of the car, officers located a grocery bag filled with approximately five and a half pounds of methamphetamine.
Law enforcement subsequently conducted a court-authorized search of Jordan’s home. During the search, officers found a Taurus 9 mm semiautomatic pistol, an Andro .223 rifle, ammunition for the firearms, and a digital scale.
Over the course of the conspiracy, the Jimenez duo was responsible for distributing at least twenty pounds or more than nine kilograms of methamphetamine.
“The methamphetamine ravaging our families and neighborhoods doesn’t come from thin air,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Drug traffickers like the two men convicted in this case bring this poison from thousands of miles away and pump it onto our communities. We will continue to work with our partners at the DEA, the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and the Evansville Police Department to dismantle these meth trafficking conspiracies and hold these criminals accountable for the harm they cause.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force (EVDTF), and Evansville Police Department investigated this case. This prosecution is also part of the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young.
U.S Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Matthew B. Miller who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence while making neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in communities; supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence; setting focused enforcement priorities; and measuring results.
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