A Mexican national was sentenced on May 5 in federal court for his involvement in a drug-trafficking conspiracy, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.
Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, age 45, received a sentence of 10 years in prison without parole from U.S. District Judge Greg Kays after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The sentencing follows an investigation that began in 2019 into a drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine.
According to court documents, Lopez-Sanchez was identified as a member of this organization. On April 16, 2021, surveillance observed him arriving at a residence in Belton, Missouri before an arranged controlled purchase by a confidential human source. He was seen carrying a blue bag into the residence and later stopped by the Missouri State Highway Patrol while driving westbound on Interstate 44 near the Oklahoma state line. Law enforcement recovered nearly one kilogram of cocaine and $58,601 from his vehicle.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley K. Kavanaugh and investigated by multiple agencies including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Jackson County Drug Task Force and Missouri State Highway Patrol.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established under Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The initiative aims to dismantle criminal cartels and transnational organizations operating within or affecting the United States through coordinated law enforcement efforts across various agencies.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri handles federal prosecutions across western Missouri’s counties with offices located in Kansas City, Jefferson City and Springfield; it is affiliated with the Department of Justice and collaborates with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners according to its official website.