Dallas drug ringleader behind bars for life

Dallas, Texas - Marco Antonio Gonzalez, a drug dealer from Dallas also known as “Speedy,” was sentenced to life in prison. He was the mastermind behind a drug trafficking operation that used an automobile dealership as a cover.

The news of the sentencing was announced by Leigha Simonton, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr, marking the end of a long trial.

In December 2021, a federal jury declared Gonzalez guilty on several charges. These included planning to possess and distribute drugs, actually possessing the drugs with the intent to distribute, and illegal possession of a gun by a person with a criminal record, Dallas Metro News reported.

Evidence presented during the trial showed Gonzalez's connection with a dangerous group known as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). His car dealership, Hampton Motors, was found to be used for his illegal activities. Testimonies and physical evidence indicated that the dealership was a storage place for drugs and a place to launder money by selling cars.

Gonzalez and his group were also linked to drug labs hidden in homes in Dallas and DeSoto. These labs were used to make methamphetamine. Guns were often found at these places, and the group was known to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine from these locations.

During the trial, it was revealed that Gonzalez had threatened someone who was going to testify against him. However, this person did testify, revealing that the car dealership was a front for large-scale drug sales. More concerning information about Gonzalez's violent behavior was also disclosed, including an attack on another inmate and a threatening note against federal agents.

Judge Starr took these actions into consideration while deciding on the life sentence for Gonzalez.

Before this trial, ten other people involved with Gonzalez had already pleaded guilty, showing the severity of the case.

The case was solved due to the combined efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Dallas Field Division, the Dallas Police Department, the Garland Police Department, and the Ellis County Sheriff's Office. The prosecutors for the case were Assistant U.S. Attorneys P.J. Meitl and John Kull.