TUCSON– Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced a judge sentenced two Tucson men to several years in prison for their involvement in a drug and firearms trafficking organization.
A jury found Juan Manuel Islas and Gilberto Saul Jaramillo guilty of multiple counts of possessing, transporting, and selling heroin, money laundering, conspiracy and illegally conducting an enterprise. On Friday morning, Islas was sentenced to 10.5 years in prison and Jaramillo was sentenced to 6 years in prison.
Back in May 2015, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) began investigating Islas and Jaramillo for their involvement with a drug and firearms trafficking organization. Initially, ATF agents started with purchasing firearms from Thomas Baile, one of the defendants who had previous felony convictions. From there, ATF uncovered a web of individuals dealing methamphetamine and heroin in Tucson.
Over the next several months, ATF purchased heroin from Islas and three other defendants. After further investigation, agents discovered Islas was obtaining heroin from Jaramillo, who owned and operated a Boost Mobile Store.
Islas and Jaramillo are the last two of the seven defendants to be sentenced in this trafficking organization.
ATF was the lead agency who investigated this case.
Arizona Attorney General Nanette Morrow prosecuted this case.
Click here for video of the firearms seized during the investigation.
Booking Photographs
1. Juan Manuel Islas - sentenced to 10.5 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections on August 10, 2018
2. Gilberto Saul Jaramillo - sentenced to 6 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections followed by 4 years of probation on August 10, 2018
3. Bartolo De Jesus Reyes Valenzuela- sentenced to 6.5 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections followed by 5 years of probation on May 4, 2018
4. Arnoldo Alonso- sentenced to 3.5 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections followed by 5 years of probation on March 13, 2017
5. Thomas Baile - sentenced to 3.5 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections followed by 3 years of probation on May 30, 2017
6. Steven Calkins - sentenced to 90 days in Pima County jail followed by 4 years of probation on October 5, 2016
7. Mike Taylor- sentenced to 4 years of probation on September 15, 2016
