United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced the sentencing of EDUARDO PENALOZA-ROMERO, 27, to 196 months in prison after pleading guilty last year to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. PENALOZA-ROMERO was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson in U.S. District Court in Saint Paul, Minn.
“HSI’s collaboration with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners continues to yield significant results in Minnesota,” said Alex Khu, special agent in charge of HSI St. Paul. “Individuals like Mr. Penaloza, who conspire to flood our communities with dangerous and illicit drugs, can expect to face serious consequences. HSI will continue to seek them out and dismantle the entire criminal organization.”
According to PENALOZA-ROMERO’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, between at least November 2013 and August 2014, he conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. At various times during the indicted period, PENALOZA-ROMERO sold controlled substances to law enforcement, including one pound of methamphetamine on November 15, 2013, and one pound of marijuana on January 15, 2014.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, in August 2014, PENALOZA-ROMERO arranged for methamphetamine to be trafficked from California to Minnesota. Approximately 8 pounds of methamphetamine was recovered from a vehicle transporting that methamphetamine into Minnesota.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at PENALOZA-ROMERO’s home on September 24, 2014, law enforcement recovered a semiautomatic pistol and more than 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine in both crystal and liquid form.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Allen Slaughter and was the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, in collaboration with the Anoka County Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fridley Police Department, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team, the Saint Paul Police Department, and the Spring Lake Police Department.
Defendant Information:
EDUARDO PENALOZA-ROMERO, 27
Spring Lake Park, Minn.
Convicted:
• Conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana, 1 count
Sentenced:
• 196 months in prison