Armando Puentes-Melendez, a 38-year-old Mexican national, has been sentenced to 60 months in prison by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash. The sentence, delivered on April 24, 2025, follows Puentes-Melendez's guilty plea to a charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
The case traces back to January 18, 2024, when law enforcement officers intercepted a drug transaction in Phoenix. Puentes-Melendez and two associates were apprehended while negotiating with an undercover agent. The transaction involved over 100 pounds of methamphetamine. During the operation, Puentes-Melendez discussed future drug deals with the agent. Law enforcement intervened once they confirmed the drugs were being retrieved from a nearby stash house, leading to the arrest of Puentes-Melendez and his co-conspirators.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice. The operation aims to tackle illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and safeguard communities from violent crime. It combines resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations led the case's investigation, while the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Tucson, oversaw the prosecution.
More details on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona can be accessed at the provided website.
For reference and case details:
- CASE NUMBER: CR24-00681-TUC-SHR
- RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-069_Puentes-Melendez