Accused Lexington meth traffickers set to stand trial – unsealed docs reveal new details

Lexington, Ky.–Recently unsealed court documents obtained by The Lexington Times show new details in the case of accused drug traffickers Esteban Aguilar-Medina and Maria Rubi Ortiz-Lopez, who are set to stand trial in January 2023. Aguilar-Medina and Ortiz-Lopez are under federal indictment. The following pending charges are listed on their docket:

• CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE 500 GRAMS OR MORE OF METHAMPHETAMINE
• CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE 50 GRAMS OR MORE OF METHAMPHETAMINE
• PWID 500 GRAMS OR MORE OF METHAMPHETAMINE
• CONSPIRACY TO DISTRIBUTE A MIXTURE OR SUBSTANCE CONTAINING A DETECTABLE AMOUNT OF MARIJUANA
• POSSESSION OF FIREARMS IN FURTHERANCE OF A DRUG TRAFFICKING CRIMES
• PWID 50 GRAMS OR MORE OF METHAMPHETAMINE
• PWID A MIXTURE OR SUBSTANCE CONTAINING A DETECTABLE AMOUNT OF MARIJUANA
• CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MONEY LAUNDERING
• POSSESSION OF FIREARMS IN FURTHERANCE OF A DRUG TRAFFICKING OFFENSE

Ten pounds of meth in a tracked package from Los Angeles

According to an unsealed affidavit by DEA Task Force Officer Joshua L. Baker, the investigation began in September 2022, when the Lexington Police Department’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit received information on a package being shipped from Hawthorne (Los Angeles County), California to a residence located on Queen Avenue on Lexington. Investigators located the package and obtained a search warrant to inspect its contents after a narcotics canine alerted on it.

A search of the package by investigators yielded 10 pounds, 5 ounces of suspected crystal meth, located within ten separate vacuum sealed bags. The DEA agent noted that the quantity of meth was “significantly large” and appeared to be “of a high purity”.

After testing the meth, the affidavit says investigators “repackaged the package with two pounds of actual methamphetamine and a GPS tracking device.” They then applied for a search warrant of the Queens Ave residence, which was identified as a mobile home.

Four juveniles home when warrant served – more drugs, weapons found

Members of LPD’s narcotics unit delivered the package to the mobile home. Within minutes a man identified as Esteban Aguilar-Medina brought the package inside. As law enforcement approached to serve the search warrant, Aguilar-Media was seen leaving the residence with the package, attempting to tape the bottom of it. Said packaged had been opened from the bottom after he took it inside the residence. Aguilar-Medina was detained at that time and five additional people, including four juveniles, exited the residence.

Inside the residence, additional quantities of suspected contraband were also located throughout. In the front bedroom closet, investigators located and seized approximately 7 pounds 15 ounces of suspected marijuana in 7 separate bags.

Also in the front bedroom closet, investigators located another 9 pounds 11 ounces, 9 pounds 14.5 ounces, and 7 pounds 10.5 ounces respectively of suspected marijuana. These three quantities were likewise packaged within multiple bags at their location of discovery.

An additional 10 pounds 14.5 ounces of suspected marijuana was located and seized in 11 separate bags from within the back bedroom of the residence. Also inside the residence, investigators seized vacuum seal bags and a vacuum sealer. The affidavit says these items are frequently used in concert with illicit substances to repackage for further distribution.

The following firearms were also seized. The affidavit alleges they were used in the furtherance of drug trafficking.

• DTI 15, Delton Inc. 5.56 caliber AR style rifle
• Bushmaster Carbon 15 .223 caliber rifle with a defaced serial number
• Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun
• Moriarti Armaments AR9 multi caliber pistol
• SCCY Industries Model CPX1 9mm handgun

A woman at the home, Maria Rubi Ortiz-Lopez, stated to investigators that she was Aguilar-Medina’s girlfriend and would fly out from California, where she lived, and visit him once a month for one or two weeks at a time.

She admitted that she sometimes conducted money transfers on Aguilar-Medina’s behalf. Ledgers corroborating this information were seized from the residence, and items taken from her purse related to other packages sent to the residence. Additional documentation concerning the other packages was also found inside the home. Investigators had also previously seized $7,000 from a package related to the case in May.

Aguilar-Medina was taken into custody at the time on state charges and federally indicted about a month later on October 6. Ortiz-Lopez was federally indicted on November 17 and a warrant was issued for her arrest. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for December 19, 2022. The trial is set to begin January 10, 2023 and is expected to last four days. Both have pled not guilty.