Armando Puentes-Melendez, a 38-year-old Mexican national, has been handed a 60-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. The sentencing, which took place on April 24, 2025, comes after his arrest in a sting operation over a year prior that netted law enforcement agents over 100 pounds of methamphetamine. Puentes-Melendez was detained alongside two accomplices during the undercover operation in Phoenix, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The capture unfolded after Puentes-Melendez agreed to meet what turned out to be an undercover agent to facilitate a large drug transaction on January 18, 2024. According to the authorities, he was caught discussing further drug deals even as the methamphetamine was being transported from a nearby stash house. In an operation designed to swiftly bring Puentes-Melendez and his co-conspirators into custody, the agents made their move as soon as the illicit cargo was confirmed to be en route.
As part of the much broader Operation Take Back America, this case signifies an intensified push by the Department of Justice. This initiative aims to combat the issue of illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and safeguard communities against violent crimes. In this operation, the efforts are consolidated and reinforced by the synergism between the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The investigation behind Puentes-Melendez's arrest was a joint effort by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations. Puentes-Melendez’s prosecution was managed by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, following case number CR24-00681-TUC-SHR.
