Great Falls — A Washington man pleaded guilty today to drug trafficking after law enforcement seized more than 5 pounds of methamphetamine and other drugs from his vehicle near Great Falls last year, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. .
Jorge Perez, aka Chicago, 41, of Spokane, Washington, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Perez faces at least 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presides. The court will determine any sentencing after considering U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for February. January 16, 2023. Perez was detained pending further proceedings.
In March 2022, witnesses in Great Falls reported to law enforcement that they had been working with Perez to bring Spokane’s large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl to Great Falls, the government said in court documents. distribution in urban areas. An FBI investigation identified the vehicle Perez was driving and stopped it outside of Grand Rapids on June 11, 2022, with the assistance of local law enforcement. Perez, the driver and sole passenger, had more than $4,000 in cash on him. Perez admitted to having pounds of drugs in the car. Law enforcement seized about 5 pounds of methamphetamine, the equivalent of 18,120 doses, as well as cocaine and fentanyl pills. At the second stop where Perez was a passenger, law enforcement found methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin in the vehicle. At a third traffic stop, on the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation, where Perez was the driver and sole passenger, law enforcement found methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan R. Plaut is prosecuting the case, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Great Falls Police Department, Cascade County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol and Chippewackee Law Enforcement The department is investigating the case.
This case is part of the Safe Communities (PSN) project, which brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and make our communities safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a strategy to reduce violent crime, strengthening the PSN based on the following core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence in the first place, setting priorities and Strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.
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