Texarkana, Arkansas – Conner Eldridge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Leonardo Nicolas-Rodriguez, aka “Primo”, age 37, of Nash, Texas, was sentenced today on one count of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Crack Cocaine. Nicolas-Rodriguez was sentenced to 87 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. The sentencing took place before the Honorable Harry F. Barnes in the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas in Texarkana.
U.S. Attorney Eldridge commented, “Those who bring illegal activity onto our streets threaten our communities. Texarkana has been plagued by drugs and violence, and we are committed to investigating and prosecuting these crimes in order to keep the residents of the Western District of Arkansas safe.”
According to court records, on August 6, 2013, during the course of an ongoing investigation, the Bi-State Narcotics Task Force obtained information that large quantities of cocaine were being brought in by a man by the name of “Primo”, who was later identified as Nicolas-Rodriguez, a resident of Texas. Based on that information, on August 15, 2013, agents arranged for a controlled purchase of cocaine from the defendant. When the defendant arrived at the prearranged location, agents approached him and searched his vehicle where they located 3 ounces of cocaine. After a post Miranda interview, the defendant stated there was more cocaine at his residence and admitted to distributing over 5 kilograms of cocaine in the Texarkana area. After obtaining a search warrant on the residence, agents located approximately 347 grams of cocaine, plastic bags, crack cocaine, and a digital scale. Nicolas-Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance, Crack Cocaine on April 9, 2014.
This case was investigated by the Bi-State Narcotics Task Force, the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department, and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ross prosecuted the case for the United States.
