FORT SMITH, Ark. (KFSM) — Three individuals were sentenced at a federal court in Fort Smith for their roles in a methamphetamine trafficking ring that operated in Boone and Carroll Counties in Arkansas plus California and Iowa.
According to court records cited by U.S. Attorney Duane (DAK) Kees, on April 5, 2019, a search warrant was obtained by the FBI and served at a home in Alpena, Arkansas, where over 140 pounds of meth was located.
The home was owned by Walter Alvarez, who allowed his son Jason Alvarez and an associate, Daniel Perez-Lebron, to receive large quantities of meth at the location and prepare it for sale in both western Arkansas and in Iowa.
Evidence showed that the methamphetamine would arrive concealed within special compartments inside the wheels of vehicles in a compressed state, requiring the drugs to be reconstituted to be sold and consumed.
The reconstituting process required chemicals such as acetone, which was also located along with the meth at Alvarez’s home.
Three men were sentenced Monday (Dec. 16) on conspiracy to distribute meth charges.
- Jason Alvarez,34, of Harrison was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Jason Alvarez was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas on May 8, 2019, and plead guilty on August 7, 2019.
- Walter Alvarez,58, of Alpena was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release on one county of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Walter Alvarez was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas on May 8, 2019, and plead guilty on August 7, 2019.
- Daniel Perez-Lebron,27, of Harrison was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release on one county to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Perez-Lebron was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas on May 8, 2019, and plead guilty on August 12, 2019.
The three men will be sentenced for a related case, “Operation Iced Ozarks,” that’s tracking methamphetamine distribution in Boone County involving 21 other defendants.
