A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty August 24, 2012, in federal court in Sioux City.
Antonio Lara-Pantoja, 27, from Denison, Iowa, was convicted of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Lara-Pantoja admitted his involvement in a conspiracy that distributed more than 100 grams of methamphetamine from January 2011 through March 2011. Lara-Pantoja obtained methamphetamine from sources in Omaha, Nebraska, and would distribute the methamphetamine in Denison, Iowa. On March 26, 2011, law enforcement officers seized 3.75 grams of methamphetamine and $3,076 from Lara-Pantoja’s vehicle after he was arrested while driving with a suspended license.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Donald E. O’Brien will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Lara-Pantoja remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Lara-Pantoja faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, a special assessment of $100, and four years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Denison, Iowa, Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations.
