An Arizona woman was sentenced to 15 years in prison last week on drug trafficking and money laundering charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.
Yvette Porchas-Ochoa, 42, of Wittmann, which is about 20 miles northwest of Peoria, was determined to be the boss of an Arizona narcotics enterprise that mostly dealt in cocaine and prescription pharmaceuticals.
Porras-Ochoa pleaded guilty to the following charges for illegal activities investigated in the last 18 months:
- Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of cocaine.
- Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute prescription controlled substances oxycodone and promethazine-codeine.
- Conspiracy to commit money laundering on Aug. 22.
The inquiry, which proved Porras-Ochoa’s involvement, revealed the distribution of 884.2 grams of oxycodone, 33,330 units of promethazine-codeine, 4,690 units of alprazolam, 27,200 units of tramadol, 63,900 units of midazolam, and 2.96 kilograms of cocaine.
How did the Arizona drug trafficker come to illegally possess and distribute the drugs?
Porras-Ochoa was able to write prescriptions after gaining authorization from a state-licensed medical practitioner. She then outsourced her medications to people she recruited from other pharmacies across Arizona.
Information from Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces indicates that Porras-Ochoa sold cocaine and prescription drugs to customers outside of Arizona.
Money laundering became a concern as Porras-Ochoa routed narcotics proceeds “through real estate transactions.”
Porras-Ochoa’s judgment was handed down by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Postal Service, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and the Phoenix Police Department all collaborated on the case.