A Jacksonville man has been handed down a stiff sentence for drug offenses, U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced. Fifty-three-year-old Jaime Rosario Ang will serve 15 years and 8 months in federal prison following convictions on two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. According to the Department of Justice, Ang's guilty plea came last year on October 6, after evidence showed he sold more than a kilogram of meth to an undercover detective over several transactions.
Operation Take Back America is the initiative to which Ang's capture can be attributed; this sweeping campaign aims to forcefully push back against illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, and shield communities from violence. In a separate encounter, Ang attempted to purchase a rifle from who he believed was a regular dealer, not knowing the individual was an undercover operative ready to reveal his law enforcement identity. It was then that agents managed to locate and seize additional narcotics and weapons from his residence.
Details in court documents reveal a substantial quantity of drugs involved in the case: 1.2 kilograms of methamphetamine and 52 grams of fentanyl were among the haul discovered by authorities. Also seized from Ang's residence was a loaded handgun, and two additional loaded magazines. The Drug Enforcement Administration together with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the thorough investigation that brought Ang's operation to a halt.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney took the lead in prosecuting the case, noting the significant amount of drugs distributed by Ang.
