A federal jury on Wednesday convicted a Minnesota man of two charges in what U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren called "one of the largest cocaine seizures in state history."
Franklin County Sheriff's officers had arrested Nestor Ramirez, 28, on Oct. 17, 2007, on Interstate 35 and seized almost 550 pounds of cocaine, according to Melgren's office. A jury in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., convicted Ramirez, who was a passenger in a truck, of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
A jury convicted Manuel Barraza-Martinez, the truck's driver, on the same charges on Aug. 1. Deputy Carl Bentley stopped the truck after he had received a tip from Georgia State Police about a stop on a similar truck the day before, according to Melgren's office.
Ramirez will be sentenced Nov. 3, and he faces a penalty of at least 10 years in prison on each count. Barraza-Martinez will be sentenced Oct. 27.
In a separate case, the Franklin County Drug Task Force arrested 60-year-old Don M. Dever of Osawatomie on Wednesday on charges of cultivation of marijuana, a tax stamp violation and possession of paraphernalia.
The task force seized more than 200 mature marijuana plants along with numerous items to grow and maintain the plants in the 1700 block of Jackson Road, said Lt. Jimmie Dean, of the Franklin County Sheriff's Department.
The investigation continues, he said.
Comments
woodenfleaeater 8 years, 9 months ago
Poor Mr. Dever. He was just getting ready for the Cheech and Chong reuniting tour.
hawklet21 8 years, 9 months ago
Wow, little ol' Franklin County is stepping up in the world!
CarterFaucheaux 8 years, 9 months ago
yowza that's a lot of blow
trinity 8 years, 9 months ago
yer darn tootin' hawklet! :) attaboys to the fr co sheriff's department! :)
Deb Stavin 8 years, 9 months ago
Is Don Dever related to Lawrence Mayor Michael Dever?
Bone777 8 years, 9 months ago
Ramirez??? Oh, the Minnesota Ramirezs, that's right....I'm sure Minnesota would be real proud that we are giving them credit for this drug runner from the south.
XEPCT 8 years, 9 months ago
It's only taking a bucket of water out of a lake.
ronwell_dobbs 8 years, 9 months ago
Wow. Chalk this up with Baldwin City PD's internet pedophile police and we have ourselves a Law & Order Plains Edition right here in eastern KS.Maybe Phil Kline can play the part of the D.A., ala Fred "Neckfat" Thompson
tongaloid 8 years, 9 months ago
this person was an illegal alien from mexico and admitted such to the police while their box van was being searched. he and his "associate" had real birth certificates from puerto rico, the birth certificates were not theirs. the pair used these to obtain licenses and ids from calif and minn. i was in the court room so this is first hand info.now it's sad that we have to import drug runners into this country. just another illegal alien doing a job an american won't do any more.
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