Waco Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution

In Waco today, a federal judge sentenced 38-year-old methamphetamine distribution ringleader Daniel Louis Lopez to life in federal prison, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash; Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Will Glaspy, Houston Division; FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs; Waco Police Chief Ryan Holt; Killeen Police Chief Charles Kimble; McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara; and, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Alan Albright ordered that Lopez pay a $1,000 fine.

Lopez was among 20 defendants charged by federal grand jury indictment in August 2018 with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Authorities allege that since May 2017, these defendants were responsible for the distribution of large amounts of methamphetamine throughout the Waco and Central Texas areas.  On January 19, 2019, Lopez pleaded guilty to the charge.  To date, 19 have pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge; seven defendants are still awaiting sentencing; the rest have been sentenced to federal prison terms ranging from seven years to life imprisonment.

The DEA, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Texas Department of Public Safety, Waco Police Department, Killeen Police Department and the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office investigated these cases.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Frazier and Christopher Blanton are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

The principal mission of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering operations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.