Press Release
☷California Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Eastern Oregon Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy
Federal Bureau of Investigation ( By Press Release office)
Apr 28,2022
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California Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Eastern Oregon Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy PORTLAND , Ore . —A Vacaville , California man was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a conspiracy to traffic large quantities of methamphetamine from California for distribution in Northeast Oregon and Southeast Washington . Noel Lomas Murillo , 34 , was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release . According to court documents , in November 2017 , the Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team ( BENT ) , Oregon State Police ( OSP ) , and the FBI began investigating a drug trafficking organization led by Murillo’s brother , Abel Lomas Murillo , 28 , of Weston , Oregon . The investigation revealed that , as early as July 2017 , Noel Murillo transported drugs from Vacaville to Klamath Falls , Oregon where a courier would deliver them to his brother . Abel Murillo also made multiple trips to Medford , Oregon to pick up drugs and transport them to Morrow and Umatilla Counties for distribution . In January 2018 , an OSP trooper stopped one of the Abel Murillo’s couriers , Luis Alberto Navarro , 33 , of Boardman , Oregon , in a vehicle traveling near Klamath Falls en route to Umatilla County . A search of the vehicle revealed 11 concealed packages containing more than eight kilograms of methamphetamine . In early May 2018 , as the investigation continued , Abel Murillo enlisted another courier , Noel Ponce Villegas , 28 , also of Boardman , to drive methamphetamine from Medford to Boardman . Investigators surveilled Abel Murillo as he traveled from Umatilla County to a storage locker in Medford and loaded a trailer pulled by his truck . Abel Murillo paid Villegas to drive his truck and trailer while he followed him to minimize his own risk . In the early morning hours of May 6 , 2018 , investigators from BENT , OSP and FBI stopped Abel Murillo and Villegas as they drove near mile marker 102 on Interstate 84 . Investigators seized 42 packages of methamphetamine , 36 of which were concealed in the false bottom of a propane tank . The packages contained approximately 17 . 6 kilograms of methamphetamine . Later the same day , investigators executed a search warrant at Abel Murillo’s residence , seizing 29 firearms and body armor . Pursuant to a separate search warrant , another 10 pounds of methamphetamine and five firearms were found in a Medford storage locker Abel Murillo had visited earlier in the weekend . On December 19 , 2019 , a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two - count superseding indictment charging Noel Murillo with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute methamphetamine and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine . On September 28 , 2021 , he pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge . On May 7 , 2018 , Navarro pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine . He will be sentenced on May 23 , 2022 . On April 15 , 2019 , Abel Murillo pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine . On September 10 , 2019 , he was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release . On April 18 , 2019 , Villegas pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine . On December 16 , 2020 , he was sentenced to time served and three years’ supervised release . U . S . Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug of the District of Oregon made the announcement . This case was investigated by BENT , OSP , and the FBI . It was prosecuted by the U . S . Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon . Seized methamphetamine in vehicle trunk .
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