(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)
A Las Vegas, Nev., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine in Greene County, Mo.
Adrian Ortiz-Corrales, 44, of Las Vegas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 14 years in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 17, 2017, Ortiz-Corrales pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, participating in a conspiracy to commit money laundering, six counts of money laundering, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.
In total, the quantity of pure methamphetamine involved in the conspiracy, which lasted from October 2013 to Feb. 29, 2016, weighed in excess of 4.5 kilograms. The methamphetamine distributed during the conspiracy, according to court documents, primarily originated from Mexico and was smuggled to Missouri.
According to court documents, a steady stream of purchasers came to the home of the conspiracy’s leader, co-defendant Patrick R. Brigaudin, 55, of Springfield, to purchase methamphetamine from him, or to deliver methamphetamine to him.
On Feb. 29, 2016, co-defendant Eduardo Diaz, 54, also of Las Vegas, transported approximately 12 pounds (5.4 kilograms) of methamphetamine and six pounds of heroin to Brigaudin’s residence. When he arrived in Missouri, Diaz picked up Ortiz-Corrales and they traveled together to Brigaudin’s residence to deliver the methamphetamine and heroin. While they were removing the methamphetamine from a vehicle, they and Brigaudin were arrested.
Brigaudin was sentenced on March 21, 2018, to 30 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to a related money-laundering conspiracy.
Diaz was sentenced on April 4, 2018, to 12 years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.
Ortiz-Corrales is among 13 defendants who have been sentenced in this case. One co-defendant has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing, while another co-defendant is a fugitive.
This case is being prosecuted by United States Attorney Timothy A. Garrison and Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall Eggert. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Ozark, Mo., Police Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, COMET (the Combined Ozarks Multijurisdictional Enforcement Team) and the South Central Drug Task Force.
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