Mexican national sentenced to 54 months in prison for distributing marijuana

MADISON, Wis. – A Mexican national was sentenced Friday to 54 months in federal prison for his role in a marijuana trafficking conspiracy.

This sentence resulted from an investigation conducted by the following agencies: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration; Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, Stateline Area Narcotics Team; Rockford, Ill., Police Department; Beloit, Wis., Police Department; FBI Safe Streets Task Force; Rock County, Wis., Sheriff's Department; and Illinois State Police.

Jose Luis Castillo-Madrigal, 35, of Beloit, Wis., was sentenced July 19 by U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb, Western District of Wisconsin, for conspiring to possess marijuana with intent to distribute and distributing marijuana. He pleaded guilty to the charges May 15.

Castillo-Madrigal conspired with the following individuals to sell marijuana and cocaine in the Beloit and Rockford areas: Emeterio Velazquez, Rosalina Velazquez, Omar Velazquez, Nicolas Covarrubias and Ruperto Ruiz. Castillo-Madrigal assisted Emeterio Velazquez picking up drugs and redistributing them. He also threatened people who owed the organization money and was sent to collect property from customers when drug debts were not paid.

Castillo-Madrigal is the third defendant in this conspiracy to be sentenced. Omar Velazquez and Nicolas Covarrubias were each sentenced to 10 years in prison. Emeterio Velazquez, Rosalina Velazquez, and Ruperto Ruiz have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Emeterio and Rosalina Velazquez are married, and Omar Velazquez is their son.

The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Altman and David Reinhard, and U. S. Attorney John W. Vaudreuil in the Western District of Wisconsin.

Castillo-Madrigal will be turned over to ICE after he completes his prison sentence and placed into deportation proceedings.