10:14 a.m. January 30, 2013
Illegal alien convicted of trafficking methamphetamine in East Tennessee sentenced to 235 months in federal prison

GREENEVILLE, TN -- Arnoldo Ayala Guevara Cazarez, 49, was sentenced on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 in federal court to serve 235 months in federal prison for his leadership role in trafficking methamphetamine in upper East Tennessee. Guevara pleaded guilty on June 5, 2012, to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Guevara; his brother, Jose Cruz Guevara; and his nephew, Habraham Enrique Guevara, conspired to bring four pounds of high-quality Mexican methamphetamine from Oklahoma City to sell in upper East Tennessee. All four pounds were found at the Guevara family home in Limestone, Tennessee. One pound was 92.9 percent pure and qualified as meth ice. Arnoldo Guevara was the main source of supply for the four pounds of methamphetamine. He set the price and directed the activities of others with regard to the transportation and ultimate delivery of the methamphetamine. Overall, the investigation resulted in the conviction of six individuals, all natives of Sinaloa, Mexico, who were illegally present in the United States.

Arnoldo Guevara is an illegal alien from Mexico who had been deported from the United States on four prior occasions but was living in Oklahoma during the period of this conspiracy. Habraham Enrique Guevara was previously sentenced to 84 months in prison for his role as a translator, lookout, and transporter in the conspiracy. Jose Cruz Guevara is set for sentencing on March 4, 2013.

U.S. Attorney William C. Killian stated, "The quantity of methamphetamine seized in this case was the second largest prosecuted in federal court in the northeast division of the Eastern District of Tennessee. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug, and the presence of high-quality Mexican methamphetamine in Washington County presented a real danger to the safety of that community."

Published January 30, 2013