Federal jury convicts Marshalltown man in ice meth conspiracy

CEDAR RAPIDS - A federal jury on Thursday convicted a Marshalltown man for distributing ice methamphetamine to a network of dealers in Eastern Iowa.

Aldo Lopez Martinez, 22, was found guilty of conspiring to distribute at least 500 grams of meth and conspiring to commit money laundering. The jury deliberated for about two hours following a two-day trial in U.S. District Court.

Trial evidence showed Lopez Martinez came to Marshalltown from Mexico in 2015, and began distributing ice methamphetamine to a network of individuals in Marshalltown, Des Moines and Waterloo. Lopez Martinez received multiple pound quantities of ice meth from a supplier in Mexico, remanufactured the meth in Marshalltown and then distributed the drugs throughout Iowa, court records show.

Lopez Martinez typically distributed ice methamphetamine in half-pound to multiple-pound quantities, testimony showed. His customers paid him in cash, which he then wired back to Mexico to obtain more drugs.

On May 5, 2016, police searched Lopez Martinez's residence and seized about $93,000 and more than 3 pounds of 98 percent pure meth, according to court records. Based on the amount of money and its packaging, investigators testified that members of the conspiracy intended to transport the money, hidden in a car, a technique known as 'bulk cash smuggling.”

In connection with the investigation, police executed 28 related search warrants on May 5, 2016, and seized a total of $250,000 and more than 6 pounds of methamphetamine, federal prosecutors said in a news release Friday. There have been 20 people convicted of criminal charges, so far, stemming from the investigation.

Lopez Martinez faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. He also faces a $10 million fine and supervised release for life following any prison time.

A sentencing date has not yet been set.

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