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March 2, 2016Abilene, TX, United StatesNarcotics

West Texas man sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking

ABILENE, Texas — A West Texas man was sentenced Wednesday to five years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigations Division.

Ruben Soliz, 24, from Abilene, Texas, had pleaded guilty in December 2015 to one count of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine. Three co-defendants also charged in the case, Abilene residents, Andrew Dean Cruz, 30, and Roberto Carlos Villarreal, 31; and San Angelo, Texas, resident, Richard Louis Martinez, 27, each pleaded guilty last year to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Cruz and Villarreal were each sentenced to 132 months in federal prison, and Martinez was sentenced to 120 months.

According to documents filed in the case, from about Nov. 1, 2013 to Aug. 18, 2014, Cruz, Villarreal and Martinez were involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the Abilene area. At times, Cruz distributed the methamphetamine from his residence that was located within 1000 feet of Ortiz Elementary School in Abilene.

Soliz admitted, according to filed documents, that in April 2014, he sold one ounce of methamphetamine to another individual.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Juanita Fielden, Northern District of Texas, was in charge of the prosecution.

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