Defendants Sentenced in Firearms Case

SALT LAKE CITY -- Three Mexican nationals, convicted in federal court in Salt Lake City of firearms and drug violations following a Utah Project Safe Neighborhoods undercover investigation involving trading firearms for drugs, have received significant federal prison sentences after being convicted of the charges. Utah Project Safe Neighborhoods is a strategic approach to reducing gun crime in Utah communities. Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and prosecutors are working together as a part of the initiative. Odi Luke-Sanchez, aka Manuel (DOB 4-30-82), Alberto Lopez-Pallan (DOB 8-10-82) and Lorenzo Perez-Ordorica (DOB 11-26-82) were charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in March 2005 with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Luke-Sanchez was charged in a third count with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Luke-Sanchez, convicted on all charges following a three-day jury trial in March, was sentenced May 23, 2006, to 295 months in federal prison. The sentence includes 235 months for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and possession of meth with intent to distribute and an additional consecutive 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Luke-Sanchez will serve 60 months of supervised release when he completes his federal prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal criminal system. Lopez-Pallan, who pleaded guilty in June 2005 to possession of meth with intent to distribute, was sentenced on May 24, 2006, to 168 months in federal prison. He also will be on supervised release for 60 months when he completes his prison sentence. Perez-Ordorica, who pleaded guilty in July 2005 to possession of meth with intent to distribute, was sentenced in October to 127 months in federal prison and 60 months of supervised release. The defendants will be turned over to the Bureau of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement for deportation when their prison sentences are completed. The undercover investigation involving Luke-Sanchez, Lopez-Pallan and Perez-Ordorica started in January 2005 when special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) received information from a confidential informant regarding a meth dealer, known as Manuel, who the confidential informant said was providing one to two pounds of meth to him/her on a weekly basis. The confidential informant also told the ATF agents that the drug dealer had provided two firearms to him/her in the past for the purpose of protecting the drugs. Manuel was later identified as Luke-Sanchez. Acting on the tip, the ATF agents and the informant placed a call to Manuel's cell phone. A male answered the phone and told them he was handling business for Manuel. The confidential informant, acting with the law enforcement officers, ordered one ounce of meth to be delivered to his/her apartment. The drug transaction was completed later that day. During the course of the transaction, an ATF agent acting in an undercover capacity, asked about acquiring a firearm and the individuals delivering the drugs advised they would attempt to have a firearm for the next transaction. Additional contact was made on March 12 and 13, 2005. Manuel contacted the confidential informant and said he needed to acquire a firearm for himself. The confidential informant agreed to get back to him when he found a gun. Acting with ATF agents, the confidential informant contacted Manuel on March 23, 2005, and said he had a couple of firearms for sale and also ordered eight ounces of meth. The confidential informant also told Manuel that the undercover ATF agent wanted to trade the firearms for meth and purchase additional meth for himself. Manuel advised he had the meth and would bring it to them. Later the afternoon of March 23, 2005, Manuel arrived with two other Hispanic males. The confidential informant and undercover ATF agent together paid $6,200 and traded two firearms for approximately 10.5 ounces of meth. The three individuals, Luke-Sanchez, Lopez-Pallan, and Perez-Ordorica, were arrested by ATF agents as they left the apartment. The confidential informant in the case was sentenced this week to 156 months in federal prison in an unrelated case. More than 3,300 gun crime cases have been screened by Utah Project Safe Neighborhoods and federal indictments returned in 1,643 cases. Many other cases have been filed by district attorneys throughout the state. Almost 930 individuals have received federal sentences under PSN ranging from one month to 780. The average sentence for a federal gun crime in Utah is 45 months with no possibility of parole. Nationwide, 13,062 defendants were prosecuted for violations of federal gun crimes in fiscal year 2005 an increase of more than 62 percent since 2000. On Feb. 16, 2006, Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales announced an expansion of PSN to include new and enhanced anti-gang efforts. The goal is to use the strategies and partnerships with state and local law enforcement communities pioneered under PSN to shut down violent gangs.