Amarillo Man Sentenced on Drug Charge

25-year-old Jose Santillan of Amarillo has been sentenced to over 17 years in federal prison.

Santillan was convicted in December of 2017 on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine. Santillan has been in custody since the time of his arrest in April of 2017.

According to evidence presented at trial. in February of 2016, a Texas Department of Public Safety agent working in an undercover capacity arranged to purchase 8 ounces of methamphetamine from Guadalupe Vargas-Mayorga. Through serveillance and recorded telephone calls between the undercover agent and Vargas-Mayorga, law enforcement learned that Vargas-Mayorga obtained the 8 ounces of methamphetamine from Santillan and then delivered it to the agent.

Laboratory results confirmed that Vargas-Mayorga and Santillan delivered 192 grams of pure methamphetamine to the undercover agent on February 2nd, 2016. The evidence provided at trial also showed that Santillan had been supplying Vargas-Mayorga since around 2014. Additionally, evidence presented at sentencing showed that Santillan was receiving shipments of liquid methamphetamine from Mexico.