Man sentenced to probation for pot bust

Published 10:46 am Wednesday, July 2, 2008

The last of three charged in connection to a marijuana bust with alleged ties to a local woman convicted in federal court for drug trafficking was sentenced to probation Monday in Mower County District Court.

Ryan Earnest Kelley, 20, received five years probation, a $500 fine and 40 hours of community work service for a fifth-degree drug conviction reached by plea agreement in March.

According to the criminal complaint, police learned of a package of marijuana en route to his 10th Street Southwest home through Clinton County, Ohio, authorities, who said it was addressed to a “Carolyn Cooper” in Austin.

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Local police already had surveillance on the house to track suspected drug sales, and arranged to have the package, which contained 17.5 pounds of marijuana, brought to the home as part of an undercover operation.

An undercover officer delivered the drugs June 28 to the residence, where Nancy Roxana Rodriguez signed for it, the complaint states.

Rodriguez, 20, was later arrested in possession of the package in a Ford Explorer, the complaint said. She told police that she was asked by an El Mariachi coworker — “Suzanna Trejo” — to accept the package, though she was unaware of its contents. She also confirmed that Trejo, who allegedly told her that the box would be addressed to a “white woman,” lived in Mandolin Apartments, though couldn’t pinpoint an apartment number.

Susana Mota-Trejo was sentenced to 72 months June 11 for her role in a marijuana and cocaine trafficking operation involving boyfriend Vedran Pejic and three others. Pejic received 198 months June 4 for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana.

The affidavit said authorities found 24 pounds of cocaine and $19,000 in cash from a Mandolin Apartments unit used by Pejic and Mota-Trejo. The investigation linked the pair, as well as Martin Jermaine Billue, Gene David Wear and Ricardo Saucedo Jr., to a total seizure of 46 pounds of cocaine.

In Rodriguez and Kelley’s home, authorities found 190 grams of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, a scale and plastic baggies during a search warrant June 28. They also arrested 20-year-old Ryan Michael McAlister, who was later released of drug charges.

Rodriguez was sentenced to five years probation and a $500 fine June 5 for a fifth-degree drug conviction. She and Kelley received a stay of adjudication, which means they have been sentenced without being found guilty.