Two Mexican nationals were sentenced for working with a cartel to distribute fentanyl in the Tulsa area, U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson announced on Apr. 16.
The sentencing highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address drug trafficking and enhance community safety in northeastern Oklahoma. The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma covers 11 counties, including Tulsa County, and collaborates with law enforcement agencies to enforce federal laws and improve public safety across the region, according to the official website.
U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel sentenced Ventura Rivera Arteaga, 41, to 46 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for Drug Conspiracy and Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rivera Arteaga’s co-defendant, Ruben Amador Meza Medina, 21, previously pleaded guilty to Drug Conspiracy and received an identical sentence.
Agents investigating fentanyl distribution executed a search warrant at an east Tulsa home where they found large amounts of fentanyl, over $25,000 in cash, digital scales, and cellphones. Both defendants admitted working together with others within the cartel to package and distribute fentanyl throughout Tulsa. Meza Medina said he initially came into the United States seeking employment but became involved in drug distribution instead. Rivera Arteaga joined him after entering the country unlawfully; court documents show he had been previously removed from the United States in 2024.
Both men will remain in custody until their transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and are expected to face removal proceedings after serving their sentences.
The case was investigated by the Tulsa Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration’s Tulsa Resident Office while Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris prosecuted it.
The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma is part of the Department of Justice and employs more than 65 Assistant United States Attorneys who work through impartial litigation and strategic partnerships as part of its mission to contribute to community safety and quality of life through enforcement efforts (official website).
