Woodbury County Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Conspiracy

 Alcaraz-Santillan received pounds of meth from Mexico for distribution in the Sioux City area.

A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty on September 8, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City.

Fabian Alcaraz-Santillan, 24, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

At the plea hearing, Alcaraz-Santillan admitted that from August 2020 through September 11, 2020, he and others conspired to distribute more than 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area.  Alcaraz-Santillan received multiple packages of methamphetamine from Mexico with the intent for further distribution.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Alcaraz-Santillan remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Alcaraz-Santillan faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and five years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by        Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.