GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Jesus Cortez, 40, of Lansing was sentenced today to 137 months imprisonment for his role in a nine-person drug trafficking conspiracy.
The conspiracy involved current and former inmates of the Michigan Department of Corrections, which was used as a recruiting center, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Those involved procured methamphetamine and heroin from Mexico and distributed them across 11 Michigan counties, including Kent, Muskegon and Ottawa, as well as inside correctional facilities, officials say.
Cortez was the last defendant in the trial. Eight of the nine defendants charged in the superseding indictment were convicted following guilty pleas. One defendant, Arnulfo Trevino, died of natural causes after his guilty plea but before sentencing.
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