Four sentenced for attempting to distribute cocaine in Gainesville

GAINESVILLE - Four men were sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court on charges of participating in a conspiracy to distribute a large amount of cocaine to Gainesville.

Arnulfo Flores-Rodriguez, 35, of Gainesville; Carlos M. Alonzo, 38, of Port Arthur, Texas; Jose Luis Galvan, 32, of Gainesville; and, Jorge Armando Segovia-Rosales, 26, of Gainesville, were sentenced by Judge William C. O'Kelley on charges of participating in a conspiracy to distribute 100 kilograms of cocaine.

David E. Nahmias, United States Attorney, said, "This case involves the second delivery of huge quantities of cocaine to Gainesville during 2006. Both deliveries originated in Mexico and were made by tractor-trailer to the same office park off the Candler Highway. The first delivery was 40 kilograms. And two weeks before this seizure of cocaine, in another unrelated case, law enforcement agents seized approximately 340 pounds of methamphetamine in Gainesville. These seizures show that drug organizations are moving their trafficking operations further outside of the Atlanta area, apparently believing that detection and apprehension is less likely. The good efforts of law enforcement in these cases show that their belief is unfounded."

Rodney G. Benson, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division stated, "This investigation further solidifies that the greater Metropolitan Atlanta area has become the staging location for the vast majority of cocaine destined for the eastern United States. Through the concerted efforts of a multitude of federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts, we were able to remove this large quantity of poison from the streets. True justice has been served."

Flores was sentenced to 19 years, 7 months in prison to be followed by 7 years of supervised release, and fined $1 thousand dollars. Flores was convicted of the charges on May 1, 2007. Alonzo was sentenced to 13 years, 4 months in prison to be followed by 7 years of supervised release, and fined $1 thousand dollars. Galvan and Segovia-Rosales were each sentenced to 4 years, 2 months in prison, to be followed by 7 years of supervised release, and fined $1 thousand dollars.

Each will likely be deported following release from custody.

A fifth defendant, Jose Luis Rodriguez, 34, of Gainesville, will be sentenced by Judge O'Kelley on Friday, August 3.

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Assistant United States Attorney H. Allen Moye prosecuted the case.