Date: November 16, 2021 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that an Escondido, California, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments was sentenced on November 1, 2021, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier. Maribel Torres was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victim Fund. Torres was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments by a federal grand jury on July 20, 2020. She pled guilty on June 21, 2021. Beginning on an unknown date and continuing until on or about July 2020, Torres reached an agreement or came to an understanding to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of a substance containing methamphetamine in the District of South Dakota. During her involvement, she facilitated and directed the transportation and distribution of methamphetamine in South Dakota and elsewhere. Additionally, beginning at an unknown date and continuing to on or about July 2020, in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere, Torres reached an agreement or came to an understanding to conduct and attempt to conduct financial transactions affecting interstate and foreign commerce. During her involvement, she wired funds derived from the sale of methamphetamine by utilizing various financial institutions. She also directed co-conspirators to do the same on her behalf. Further, she helped coordinate with co-conspirators the movement of cash drug proceeds across state lines. This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Nash prosecuted the case. Torres was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
