Fugitive on the run for 13 years gets more than 15 years in prison

A man who fled the country while on pretrial release on federal drug charges in 2003 was sentenced last week to more than 15 years in prison.

Ismael Sanchez-Acevedo, 39, most recently from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, pleaded guilty in August to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.

During the plea hearing, Sanchez-Acevedo admitted that he drove from Washington state to Iowa in February 2003 with about 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine that he was going to sell. Sanchez-Acevedo also admitted to hiring Kyle Meinecke for $1,000 to drive him from Washington to Cedar Rapids.

Court documents show Sanchez-Acevedo and Meinecke were found in a Cedar Rapids hotel room Feb. 3, 2003, after police received complaints of heavy foot traffic to their room. A room search revealed more than two gallon-sized plastic bags containing 672.2 grams of a meth mixture, of which 174.8 grams was pure meth. Authorities also found $2,640 in cash.

Meinecke also was sentenced to more than two years in prison for meth distribution.

Sanchez-Acevedo was charged Feb. 7, 2003, and granted pretrial release Feb. 17, 2003. He fled the country about 10 days later. Sanchez-Acevedo remained a fugitive until May 20, when the U.S. Border Patrol arrested him in Washington state.

During sentencing, Sanchez-Acevedo said he fled because he was scared. He first went to Los Angeles, he said, where he lived for nine years before moving to Canada. He was arrested as he was returning to Washington in May to visit his ill father, he told the judge.

Bennett ordered Sanchez-Acevedo to serve a five-year term of supervised release following his prison time.

Sanchez-Acevedo is in U.S. Marshal's custody until he can be taken to a federal prison.