Two men from San Antonio, Texas have been sentenced for their scheme to rob a Southern Oregon property while masquerading as DEA agents. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon, 24-year-old Jose Manuel Lopez received a sentence of 63 months in federal prison and four years of supervised release, while Juan Carlos Conchas, 23, was sentenced to 40 months along with a similar period of supervised release. Both are required to pay restitution to the robbery victim jointly.
During the incident on March 12, 2022, the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office received reports of an armed robbery and found two deserted cars with Texas plates upon arriving at the rural property. Donning what seemed to be DEA attire, the intruders tied up the victims using zip ties and duct tape. Deputies located firearms, body armor, ammunition, and fake badges along the escape route taken by the accused, who fled the property laden with large totes of packaged marijuana.
Investigation revealed that the individuals traveled from Texas with the aim to steal a substantial amount of marijuana, over 200 pounds. A federal grand jury indicted them on September 1, 2022, on multiple counts, including conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute, and using firearms during a drug trafficking crime. They were later captured in October of the same year in their hometown…