US Courts Sentence Meth Traffickers in North Carolina and Arizona

A federal judge in the Western District of North Carolina sentenced 52‑year‑old Robert James Salyards to 180 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after he was caught with more than 140 grams of methamphetamine and admitted to about 50 weekly sales. The case, part of the DOJ’s Operation Take Back America, highlighted Salyards’ prior convictions and was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson.

In Arizona, three defendants were sentenced after pleading guilty to transporting over 70 pounds of methamphetamine linked to a Mexican cartel. Berenice Nafarrate received a seven‑year term for coordinating the deal, Leonel Armenta‑Perez was also given seven years and forfeited a handgun after a weapons‑related charge, and 17‑year‑old Marcial Valenzuela‑Hernandez received five years for moving the drugs to the meeting site. The prosecutions were announced by Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and underscore ongoing state‑level efforts against large‑scale drug trafficking.