Three Members of Drug Organization Receive 20-Year Prison Terms

(Phoenix, Ariz. – March 4, 2008) Attorney General Terry Goddard announced that Armando Molina Gamboa, Mario Velasco-Felix and Noel Velasco-Felix were found guilty today on drug related charges by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Thomas O’Toole. O’Toole sentenced each of the defendants to 20 years in prison on these charges.

The defendants were arrested in June 2006 after a six-month investigation by the Phoenix Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration found that this drug organization was responsible for trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico to several locations in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The illegal drugs were then sent to several other states.

The investigation led to the seizure of 49 kilograms of cocaine, 50 pounds of meth, two pounds of crack cocaine, 16 guns and 33 vehicles. Also seized was $2.5 million in drug proceeds.

Molina Gamboa was found guilty of conspiracy, illegal enterprise, five counts of possession for sale of cocaine, two counts of possession/transportation of methamphetamine for sale, four counts of money laundering, two counts of misconduct involving weapons, five counts of use of a wire and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Mario Velasco-Felix was found guilty of conspiracy, illegal enterprise, four counts of possession/transportation of methamphetamine for sale, three counts of money laundering, misconduct involving weapons, use of a wire and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Noel Velasco-Felix was found guilty of conspiracy, illegal enterprise, seven counts of possession/transportation of methamphetamine for sale, four counts of money laundering, misconduct involving weapons, use of a wire and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Assistant Attorney General Paula Alleman prosecuted this case.