DEA
SIOUX CITY – A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty on May 18, 2017, in federal court in Sioux City.
Ismael Hernandez Moreno, 29, from Denison, Iowa, was convicted of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Hernandez Moreno admitted his involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least 200 grams of a methamphetamine mixture which contained at least 150 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine from October 2015 through September 2016. On August 4, 2016, at another person’s request, Hernandez Moreno transported approximately ½ pound of methamphetamine from Denison, Iowa to Worthington, Minnesota for further distribution.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Hernandez Moreno remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Hernandez Moreno faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, $100 special assessment, and at least 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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement; Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; Buffalo Ridge Task Force; and Internal Revenue Service.
