For their involvement in a drug conspiracy that featured what law enforcement called the largest seizure of methamphetamine in local history, one man has received a 10-year prison sentence and another person has accepted a plea agreement recommending 17 years in prison.

George Sanchez, 27, of California, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Bowling Green to a count of conspiracy to possess 500 or more grams of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.

A copy of the plea agreement in Sanchez’s case said he conspired with five co-defendants among others from Oct. 1, 2019, to Aug. 30, 2020, to deal methamphetamine. The conspiracy involved 80 pounds of meth, the plea agreement said.

Sanchez’s plea agreement recommends that he serve 17 years in prison. He is due to return to court Sept. 29 for sentencing.

On Thursday, another co-defendant, Jeremy Quezada, 29, of Arizona, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy. He had pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.

A copy of Quezada’s plea agreement said he came to be involved in the conspiracy in August 2020.

He was found in possession of a large quantity of methamphetamine in Simpson County on Aug. 30 and was part of a group that brought 37 pounds of meth from California to Kentucky, according to court records.

The charges to which Quezada pleaded guilty carried a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and a prior conviction for a violent crime prevented him from being eligible for a lesser sentence.

Eight people have been indicted in this case, the result of an investigation involving the FBI, Bowling Green-Warren County Drug Task Force, Bowling Green Police Department, Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Kentucky State Police and Western Kentucky University Police Department.

Along with Sanchez and Quezada, Tyrecus Crowe, Andre Graham, Michael Padilla, Raymond Derouse Jr., Brandon Cherry and Nathan L. Jackson are accused of taking part in the conspiracy.

Derouse and Cherry have also been charged with possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.

Padilla has pleaded guilty, while the cases against the remaining co-defendants are pending.

Federal prosecutors said a criminal complaint in the case details a traffic stop of a Chevrolet Tahoe in Texas on July 24.

While searching the vehicle, law enforcement found 40 pounds of suspected crystal meth hidden in a black bag and a rental agreement with Crowe’s name on it, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

The driver was detained, and the Drug Enforcement Administration was contacted.

A DEA agent interviewed the driver, who said he was driving the rented car from California to Bowling Green to deliver the drugs to Crowe.

The driver said Crowe rented the vehicle and allowed him to use it for this trip, adding that this was his second such trip to California to pick up a shipment of meth.

The first trip occurred a week earlier, and the driver brought 25 pounds of crystal meth to Crowe’s Bowling Green residence, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

In a July 26 police interview, the driver said Crowe provided him with cash to deliver in California, where he would meet with Sanchez at a predetermined location in Los Angeles.

From there, Sanchez and the driver would travel to a nearby residence, where the money would be counted by hand and weighed on a scale.

Federal prosecutors have filed notice of intent to seek the forfeiture of $57,000 in cash, an Emma Lane residence and four vehicles – a 2015 Maserati Ghibli, 2013 Nissan Altima, 2008 Ford Mustang and 2001 Chevrolet Impala.

– Follow courts reporter Justin Story on Twitter @jstorydailynews or visit bgdailynews.com.