Pubdate: Fri, 25 May 2001
Source: Waukesha Freeman (WI)
Copyright: 2001 The Waukesha Freeman
Contact: (262) 542-8259
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/770
Author: Brian Huber
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

DRUG DEALER GETS 20 YEAR PRISON SENTENCE

WAUKESHA - A Mexican national living in Waukesha has been sent to 
prison for 20 years and will likely be deported after he serves an 
additional 15 years on extended supervision after running one of the 
largest drug operations the city has ever seen.

Jose Meraz, 19, was also fined $18,000 after he was convicted of 
several counts of possessing marijuana and cocaine with intent to 
deliver.

Meraz was arrested at his Waukesha home when undercover police set up 
deals for cocaine in November. At the residence, police found a 
kilogram of cocaine - about 2.2 pounds - and 17 pounds of marijuana 
packaged in one-pound bags.

Assistant District Attorney Bill Roach displayed the drugs on a 
courtroom table which he said was not big enough to hold all of them. 
He estimated the street value of the drugs $40,000 or more.

Roach said the bust "ranks up there" as one of the biggest in the 
city's history. He said the fact that Meraz had a loaded pistol in 
his waistband at the time of his arrest was a recipe for disaster.

"This is a benchmark in law enforcement and the drug world," Roach 
said. "You just do not see dealers of this level able to obtain this 
level of marijuana and cocaine. It just doesn't happen that often."

Several others have been prosecuted as a result of the case. Manuel 
Torrero, 19, who often acted as interpreter for Meraz, has pleaded 
guilty to delivery charges and tax stamp violations and will be 
sentenced June 4. Alfonso Valdez-Acosta, 18, was placed on probation 
for 18 months after pleading no contest to a charge of running a drug 
house.

Jose Meraz-Enriquez, 21, Meraz's brother, also received a probation 
term for running a drug house. Roach said the men were "minimally 
involved" in the operation and Meraz was the mastermind.

Jess Martinez, Meraz's attorney, said Meraz was an illegal resident 
who came here from a life in poverty in Mexico, where his family 
could only afford a sixth-grade education for him. After the 
sentence, Meraz expects to be deported, he said.

Martinez recommended a prison term of five to eight years, as well as 
the Challenge Incarceration Program, the "boot camp" for first-time 
non-violent offenders.

Meraz asked for a chance to turn his life around.

"We are all humans and we all commit errors in life. I think we all 
deserve a chance," he said through an interpreter.

Judge James Kieffer told him that drug dealing is "out-and-out wrong" 
everywhere.

"You sold drugs because you got greedy and as a result you became 
deeper and deeper involved in the sale of drugs," he said.

"You are a big-time drug dealer in southeastern Wisconsin and you had 
access to substantial amounts of drugs which found their way onto our 
streets," Kieffer said. "It's individuals such as yourself that cause 
these poisons to enter the community and (create) the problems they 
cause."
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