Hoosier State Today

Eleven individuals have been sentenced to a combined total of 123 years in federal prison for their involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking ring linked to a Mexican drug cartel. The operation, which utilized train cars among other methods to smuggle drugs into the Midwest, was dismantled by law enforcement agencies.

The defendants and their respective sentences are as follows: Erick Apolinar Romero received 19 years with five years supervised release; Matthew Wright was sentenced to 19 years with five years supervised release; Julian Islas-Lozada also received 19 years with five years supervised release. Zachary Polk was sentenced to 15.7 years with five years supervised release, while Junior Castillo received 14.1 years with the same period of supervision.

Other sentences include Kevin Josue Patino-Romero who received 11.7 years with five years supervised release, Alexander Franco-Lopez sentenced to 6.7 years with three years supervised release, and both Jesus Alberto Casillas-Martinez and Eduardo Perez-Martinez receiving 5.4 years each with three-year supervision periods. Eduardo Abel Torres De Leon was given four years with one year of supervised release, and Richard Michael Moore was sentenced to three years with one year of supervision.

Court documents reveal that between September 2021 and November 2022, the group conspired to distribute nearly 400 pounds of methamphetamine and over seven kilograms of fentanyl. The drugs were smuggled from Mexico into the United States through various means including the U.S. Postal Service, commercial vehicles, and trains.

DEA agents intercepted a major shipment in October 2022 when traffickers attempted to retrieve drugs from a rail car in Nebraska. The operation led by Romero was thwarted, resulting in the seizure of over 68 kilograms of methamphetamine and more than seven kilograms of fentanyl.

Subsequent arrests were made on December 13, 2022, including Islas-Lozada and Castillo who were found in possession of substantial quantities of methamphetamine at their Indianapolis home. Romero was also arrested on this day along with firearms found at his residence.

Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana stated: “International cartels have flooded our communities... Thanks to the hard work... this significant drug trafficking organization is out of business.”

DEA Assistant Special Agent Michael Gannon remarked on the impact saying: “This operation has had a significant impact on Indianapolis... resulting in the seizure... These actions are a big win for all Hoosiers.”

USPIS Inspector Rodney Hopkins acknowledged the efforts stating: “Every day, Postal Inspectors work to prevent the mail from being misused by criminals... I want to acknowledge the contributions...”

The case involved several agencies including DEA, USPIS, IRS-CI alongside local police departments under HIDTA Program guidelines aiming at disrupting high-level drug operations.