Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Martel Chavez-Mendoza, age 40, a resident of Yakima, Washington, was sentenced after having pleaded guilty on August 21, 2019, to distributing over 500 grams of methamphetamine. United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Chavez-Mendoza to a fourteen-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison.

According to information disclosed during court proceedings, law enforcement received information that Chavez-Mendoza was selling methamphetamine and using a location near Sunnyside, Washington, to convert the methamphetamine from liquid to crystal form. During its investigation, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) determined Chavez-Mendoza distributed a kilogram of methamphetamine to another individual. While conducting surveillance, DEA also observed Chavez-Mendoza and another individual purchasing acetone (commonly used to crystallize methamphetamine) and transporting it to a garage near Sunnyside.

As a result, DEA obtained warrants to search Chavez-Mendoza’s residence, vehicle, and another location. Investigators seized ninety pounds (approximately 44 kilograms) of methamphetamine and two pounds of heroin from Chavez-Mendoza’s vehicle. While searching Chavez-Mendoza’s residence, DEA seized firearms, drug ledgers and over $50,000 in U.S. currency. Investigators also found the remnants of a large-scale methamphetamine crystallization operation at a third location.

United States Attorney Hyslop said, “Ninety-pounds of methamphetamine is the largest single drug seizure in Yakima County in years. Taking this much meth off the streets is a great victory. Nonetheless, illegal drugs should be of significant concern to the community as they are to all law enforcement. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington commends the law enforcement officers with the DEA and Yakima Police Department who investigated this case. The sentence imposed by the court removes a large-scale drug trafficker from our community and sends a clear message to others who may choose to engage in such criminal activity.”

This case was investigated by the Yakima Resident Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Yakima Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Benjamin D. Seal, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.