Third Portland-Area Man Sentenced in Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy

PORTLAND, Ore.—U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams announced today that a third Portland-area man was sentenced to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to traffic large quantities of methamphetamine into the Portland Metropolitan Area.

Ulises Mayares Jr., 26, of Portland, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison and five years’ supervised release for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Mayares’ sentence follows two sentences previously imposed for related conduct. On June 3, 2019, Francisco Alvarez, 49, also of Portland, was sentenced to 188 months in prison and five years’ supervised release. On May 1, 2019, Carlos Ortega-Estrella, 35, of Beaverton, Oregon, was sentenced to 140 months in prison and five years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, over a period of years, Alvarez, a convicted felon, supervised a drug trafficking organization responsible for obtaining hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine from a supplier for distribution in and around Portland. He was typically the only person in the trafficking organization who had direct contact with Ortega-Estrella, his supplier.

Alvarez supervised multiple runners, including Mayares, who stored methamphetamine, firearms and large amounts of cash in locations throughout Multnomah County. Mayares was Alvarez’s closest associate and supervising runner. He was responsible for obtaining methamphetamine from Alvarez, storing it, giving it to other runners to distribute and collecting money from other runners for their services. Mayares admitted to making some deliveries himself and, at times, dealing directly with Ortega-Estrella.

Ortega-Estrella would transport large quantities of drugs from California and deliver them to Oregon. He maintained two separate residences in Beaverton, Oregon to store and repackage methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine. Upon searching these properties, investigators found several pounds of these drugs along with two assault-style weapons, four semiautomatic pistols and approximately $90,000 in cash.

In a search of Mayares’ residence, investigators seized an additional 28 pounds of methamphetamine, $90,000 in cash, and two handguns.

Ortega-Estrella pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on June 20, 2018. Alvarez and Mayares each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 11 and 21, 2019, respectively.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Gresham Police Department and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.