(WFRV) – A 31-year-old Wisconsin man who was the organizer of a statewide drug trafficking organization was sentenced on Thursday to 12 years in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson.
According to Timothy M. O’Shea, the United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, Angel Flores of Portage attempted to possess more than 500 grams of cocaine for distribution and he pled guilty to the charge in December 2024.
In addition, several others involved in this organization have been sentenced, with one on Wednesday and the others in March.
- Braulio Martinez-Salazar – Three years
- Luis Angel Rios – Nine years
- David Junius – Seven years
- Justin Purdy – Eight years
- Juan Ojeda – One year
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Federal Bureau of Investigation officials began an investigation in 2022 of a large cocaine and meth trafficking group that was working in the Western District of Wisconsin.
Agents intercepted calls between Flores and a supplier in California, learning that he had been obtaining multiple kilograms of cocaine and large amounts of meth, distributing it throughout the area, including Madison, Portage and La Crosse.
In January 2023, Ojeda went to Chicago at Flores’ request to meet with somebody sent by the supplier in California and transported the 12 kilograms of cocaine into Wisconsin. In February 2023, phone communications were intercepted and resulted in the seizure of cocaine heading through Arizona and en route to the pickup destination in Illinois.
Judge Peterson expressed high concern about the quantity and scope of the organization, mentioning that he brought kilograms of cocaine into the state on multiple occasions over an extended period.
Judge Peterson said the sentence was intended to convey that this is not tolerated, as Flores’s leadership role was in “some of the highest level of dealing in this district.”
No additional details were provided.
