A recent sentencing has concluded the case of a significant drug trafficking operation with activities both within and beyond the metro Atlanta area. This operation, originally investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in 2022, was led by Karla Lopez-Delgado, with assistance from Jonathon Torres-Aguirre, who was incarcerated at Washington State Prison in Davisboro, Georgia at the time.
An investigation led agents to Lopez-Delgado’s Dunwoody apartment, which she shared with her four-year-old daughter. The search uncovered substantial quantities of illegal substances, including 4.5 kilograms of fentanyl, over 80 kilograms of methamphetamine, nearly 20 kilograms of cocaine, and a handgun. Several cell phones were also seized, revealing extensive communication between Lopez-Delgado and Torres-Aguirre regarding their drug trafficking network spanning Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
The individuals involved have since been sentenced following their guilty pleas:
- Karla Lopez-Delgado received a sentence of 19 years and eight months in prison, in addition to five years of supervised release.
- Jonathon Torres-Aguirre was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
- Marco Camacho-Escobar was sentenced to 10 years and one month in prison, with three years of supervised release thereafter.
- Issac Duran-Gomez received a sentence of three years and seven months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Carlos Santiago was sentenced to five years and three months in prison, in addition to four years of supervised release.
- Bennie Shelton was sentenced to three years and ten months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
- Kiara Jones was sentenced to one year of home detention, followed by three years of supervised release.
The Special Agent in Charge, Steven N. Schrank, emphasized that drug dealers who harm communities will be held accountable. These sentences serve as a deterrent to those who seek to profit from addiction, reinforcing the commitment to prosecuting such offenses.