U.S. Department of Justice
A Kansas City, Kan., man convicted of setting up a 546-pound marijuana deal has been sentenced to 121 months in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.
Victor Castillo-Najer, 37, Kansas City, Kan., was convicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that the investigation began in March 2011 when police in El Paso, Texas, and agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration seized 546 pounds of marijuana that was bound for the metropolitan Kansas City area.
They set up a controlled delivery in which agents would be present when the marijuana was delivered to its destination.
Undercover agents spoke by telephone to Castillo-Najer, who was using the alias “Kiko.” He gave them directions for where and when to deliver the marijuana.
Castillo-Najer used code when he spoke to the agents, referring to the marijuana as “horses” and asking them how big a corral he would need when the “horses” were delivered. Castillo-Najer directed the undercover agents to bring the marijuana to the parking lot of Lowe’s Home Improvement Store at 4960 Roe Boulevard in Roeland Park, Kan.
He and several co-defendants were arrested on March 24, 2011, after they received the shipment of marijuana.
Grissom commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the El Paso, Texas, Police Department and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug for their work on the case.
