More than 20 sentenced for meth, laundering
Investigation centered around drug operation in Marshalltown
Over the past year, more than 20 people, including seven Marshalltown residents, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a methamphetamine and money laundering conspiracy that centered in Marshalltown.
Information released this week from the U.S. Attorney’s Office (Northern Iowa district) revealed those who were sentenced and how much time they will spend in prison.
As early as the summer of 2013, a group of individuals agreed with each other to distribute methamphetamine. The group was centered in Marshalltown and was responsible for distributing hundreds of pounds of ice methamphetamine throughout Northern Iowa. Members of the conspiracy returned cash from the sale of meth to Mexico, either by wire transfer or by using cars to smuggle cash across the border. The investigation cumulated in May of 2016, when investigators executed 29 search warrants in Iowa and Wisconsin, and seized more than $250,000, six pounds of meth and 14 firearms. The meth had a street value of approximately $272,880.
Among those sentenced were seven people from Marshalltown:
• Aldo Omar Lopez Martinez, 23, received a 30-year prison term for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
• Adan Sanchez-Chavez, 26, received a 20-year prison term for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
• Roque Rodriguez Arellano, 33, received a four-year prison term for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
• Susana Martinez Arreola, 30, received a two-year prison term for conspiracy to commit money laundering.
• Michael Corwin, 31, received a 12+ year prison term for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
• Alejandro Hernandez, 39, received a 3-1/2-year prison term for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
• Isaias Lopez Martinez, 40, received a 12-year prison term for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Eight people from Waterloo, five from Dubuque, one from Des Moines and one from LaCrosse, Wis., also were sentenced to a variety of prison terms on similar charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and/or conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Multiple law enforcement agencies participated in the investigation including the Mid Iowa Drug Task Force (Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Marshalltown Police Department and Tama County).