2 West Texas men sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for distributing methamphetamines

LUBBOCK, Texas — Two West Texas men were sentenced in federal court Friday to 150 months in prison for possessing, with intent to distribute, methamphetamine.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney, John R. Parker, Northern District of Texas. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office. 

Michael Sebastian Ford, 24, from Lubbock, Texas was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 150 months. Ford pleaded guilty in February 2017 to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Also sentenced was Rene Ortiz, 42, from Lubbock, Texas, who was sentenced May 26, 2017, by Judge Cummins. Judge Cummins ordered him to serve 200 months in federal prison for the same offense to which Ford pled guilty.   

According to court documents, on Oct. 25, 2016, officers with the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, operating in an undercover capacity, called Ford and reached an agreement for Ford to sell the officers two ounces of methamphetamine for $1,300.  The deal was scheduled to take place on October 26, 2016, at a residence in Lubbock.  The undercover officer arrived at the location and spoke with Ford who told the officer that his cousin would be bringing the methamphetamine later.  The undercover officer left the residence and told Ford to notify him when the drugs had arrived.  Ford texted the officer a few moments later to tell the officer that the drugs had arrived at the residence. 

During this time, officers observed a vehicle arrive at the residence and saw Ford approach the front passenger side of the vehicle and talk to the driver.  As officers approached the residence, Ford saw them and ducked down next to the vehicle before running into the residence where he was then arrested.  Officers approached the vehicle and identified the driver as Ortiz.  As Ortiz exited the vehicle, officers observed a bag containing approximately 10 grams of methamphetamine on the driver side floor mat.  Officers also found a torn baggie underneath the vehicle that contained approximately 26 grams of methamphetamine and found another 30.4 grams of methamphetamine behind the driver’s seat.  A pistol and ammunition were also found in a shoe box in the back of the vehicle.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Long, Northern District of Texas, prosecuted this case.