A former Holts Summit woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to her role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Jean Elizabeth Sanchez, 52, now a Georgia resident, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Callaway County.
Her husband, Justin Raul Sanchez, 49, of Holts Summit, pleaded guilty to the same charge Nov. 1, 2016.
Jean and Justin Sanchez were identified by investigators as distributors of large quantities of methamphetamine in the Callaway County area. According to a plea agreement, the Sanchezes made three trips to Georgia in March and April 2014 to obtain large quantities of methamphetamine. On each trip, the supplier in Georgia sold them approximately 1 kilogram of methamphetamine in a sealed silver coffee can, which they brought back to Holts Summit to distribute.
Jean Sanchez was stopped by state troopers on U.S. 63 in Taos on April 21, 2014, while returning from the third trip to Georgia, according to the plea agreement. The trooper located a large silver coffee can that contained 27 small bags of methamphetamine (totaling .85 kilograms) underneath the third row of seats in the vehicle. The trooper also found a loaded Taurus .380-caliber handgun inside a glove on the front passenger floorboard.
On April 24, 2014, authorities executed a search warrant at the Sanchezes' residence. Officers seized two bags containing methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, $7,817 and a drug ledger. Justin Sanchez was arrested and admitted to officers he had been distributing methamphetamine from his residence.
The plea agreement also cites two controlled purchases of methamphetamine by a confidential informant at Sanchez's residence in April 2014. In each instance, the confidential informant agreed to pay $1,300 for 28 grams of methamphetamine.
Under federal statutes, Jean and Justin Sanchez are each subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group, the Missouri Highway Patrol, the Jefferson City Police Department and the Mustang Drug Task Force.