Two men from Southern Indiana, Michael Jimenez, 37, of Newburgh, and Jordan Jimenez, 30, of Evansville, have been sentenced to significant prison time for their roles in a methamphetamine distribution operation. According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana, Michael received a ten-year sentence while his nephew Jordan will serve fifteen years, followed by five years of supervised release after both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
The conspiracy, which played out between May and July 2022, involved the pair acting as joint business partners in illicit trade. As per the U.S. Attorney's Office, Jordan Jimenez obtained pounds of the drug and passed on a portion to Michael, who would then sell it and return the payment. The operation contributed to the circulation of at least twenty pounds of methamphetamine in the area.
Their criminal enterprise came to a halt when Jordan was stopped for speeding by the Evansville Police Department on July 15, 2022. A K9 unit alerted officers to the presence of illegal drugs in Jordan's car, which led to the discovery of about five and a half pounds of methamphetamine. A subsequent authorized search of Jordan’s residence yielded even more, including a Taurus 9 mm semiautomatic pistol, an Andro .223 rifle, ammunition, and a digital scale.
Zachary A. Myers, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, made clear the impact of their actions on the community, saying, "The methamphetamine ravaging our families and neighborhoods doesn’t come from thin air." He went on to emphasize the resolve to dismantle drug trafficking operations through collaborative efforts. "We will continue to work with our partners at the DEA, the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and the Evansville Police Department to dismantle these meth trafficking conspiracies and hold these criminals accountable for the harm they cause," Myers added.
The case was a joint investigation involving the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and the Evansville Police Department. It's also part of broader initiatives such as the Indiana High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program and Project Safe Neighborhoods, aimed at reducing violent crime and drug trafficking. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew B. Miller prosecuted the case, with sentences being doled out by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young.
