Two plead guilty to trafficking

One receives 36 months; another gets 72 months

Two men initially accused of conspiring to traffic methamphetamine and cocaine were sentenced in federal court in Texarkana this week.

Jose Frausto-Sanchez, 48, appeared late Monday afternoon with Texarkana lawyer Jason Horton for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Susan Hickey in Texarkana’s downtown federal building. Frausto-Sanchez pleaded guilty to two counts of using a cellphone in the commission of a drug crime in March. He was initially charged with more serious offenses, including conspiracy, but charges were amended as part of a plea agreement.

Frausto-Sanchez, who has no prior criminal history, received a 36-month term in federal prison to be followed by a year of supervised release. If Frausto-Sanchez violates the terms of

his release, he could be ordered to spend more time behind bars.

Onecimo Mora-Macedo pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Mora-Macedo appeared with Little Rock lawyer Darrell Brown Jr. for sentencing before Hickey on Tuesday morning in Texarkana’s downtown federal building.

Mora-Macedo received a 72-month federal prison term to be followed by three years of supervised release. If MoraMacedo violates the terms of his supervised release, he could be ordered to spend more time in a federal prison.

“Jose is a good person who got involved in a bad situation,” Horton said. “He has tremendous support from his family and the citizens of his community. I am thankful the court saw Jose and the situation for what it was and sentenced Jose within the applicable law.”

According to a criminal complaint penned by an FBI special agent and filed March 16, 2012, law enforcement was made aware that a 2003 Toyota Avalon carrying a large amount of methamphetamine would be traveling through the area. Agents watched as the Avalon arrived in the parking lot of Walmart in New Boston, Texas. MoraMacedo pulled up near the Avalon in a Toyota Tundra pickup with Arkansas license plates.

Frausto-Sanchez, who was in the Tundra’s passenger seat, got out of the pickup, handed the Avalon’s driver money and drove away in the Avalon. FraustoSanchez drove the Avalon along Texas Highway 8 toward De Queen, Ark., with Mora-Macedo driving along with him in the Tundra.

Both men pulled in to a mechanic’s shop in De Queen owned by Frausto-Sanchez. Agents recovered about 13 kilograms of meth from hidden compartments in the Avalon and a large amount of cash from Frausto-Sanchez.

The next day, agents searched Mora-Macedo’s house and discovered more evidence of drug trafficking. A large amount of cocaine, cash and two firearms were seized during the search of Mora-Macedo’s home.

As part of his arrangement with prosecutors, Mora-Macedo agreed to forfeit nearly $10,000 in cash and two guns: a Savage Arms 12-gauge shotgun and an Excam .25-caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Ross and Candace Taylor handled the case for the government.