Crossville man, six others sentenced in drug ring

HUNTSVILLE -- Seven men – including a Crossville resident – face prison time for their roles in a Marshall County Drug Trafficking Organization that was being directed from Mexico, according to United States Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Birmingham Division. 

 United States District Judge Corey L. Maze imposed the following sentences on the defendants:

 • Armando Trevino-Vazques, 42, of Crossville, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm.

 • Carlos Antonio Hernandez-Corona, 32, of Boaz, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

• Juan Hernandez, 44, of Albertville,was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. 

• Gregory Allen Huff, 43, of Arab, was sentenced to 61 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

 • Angel Hernandez, Jr., 25, of Boaz, was sentenced to 50 months 

in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

 • Thomas Gaspar, 35, of Boaz was sentenced to 36 months in prison for unlawful use of a communications facility.

 • Juan Damian Cortes, 33, of Albertville, was sentenced to five months in prison for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.

 According to plea agreements, the Drug Trafficking Organization used a series of dead drops to coordinate the distribution of methamphetamine and the receipt of bulk currency. Purchasers contacted the source of supply in Mexico. After that, the purchaser received a phone call providing a location to meet an individual to pay for the drugs purchased.

Following that meeting, the purchaser received another call providing the location where the drugs could be picked up.

 “My office will use every tool in our toolbox to dismantle drug trafficking organizations intent on flooding the Northern District of Alabama with illegal drugs, focusing our effort on drugs originating from cartels and transnational criminal organizations,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said.

“We are committed to ending the devastating impact these drugs have had on communities within our District.

“I am grateful for the strong partnership between the FBI and state and local law enforcement in Marshall County that led to these convictions and sentences.”

 “These sentencings demonstrate the FBI’s relentless determination to eradicate drug trafficking organizations that are plaguing communities,” said FBI Birmingham Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples.  “Disrupting organizations like this one is a priority objective of the FBI’s mission. We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners and use every legal means available to hold accountable those who threaten our neighborhoods.”

 The FBI’s North Alabama Criminal Enterprise Task Force investigated the cases. The Marshall County Drug Task Force and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Drug Task Force provided valuable assistance.

Assistant United States Attorneys Russell E. Penfield and John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the cases.