Israel Jose Amaya-Romero, of Mexico, is our Minnesota Man of the Day. The other two contestants this Tuesday have previously earned Minnesota Man honors and are thus ineligible for repeat prizes.
No matter, Mr. Amaya certainly has earned this award on the merits. He was indicted back in late April, along with a confederate, both low-ranking members of a Mexican drug cartel. He was taken into federal custody in early May.
Both men were charged with six drug-distribution-related counts in federal court. Which drugs? All of them, including fentanyl, meth, heroin, and cocaine. Amaya operated out of Brooklyn Center. Your neighbor.
Amaya faced an additional, seventh charge: a felony count of illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien. Court filings indicate that Amaya has a prior state-level felony drug dealing conviction (heroin) out of North Carolina.
In July, Amaya pled guilty to one drug charge from the current indictment. He is due in federal court in downtown Minneapolis later this morning for sentencing and is looking at around 10 years in prison.
Oliver Hernandez-Llanes of Mexico previously took Minnesota Man of the Week honors back in late July. He is also due in federal court this morning for sentencing.
Herandez has been in federal custody since May, following a stint in state prison for a 2023 felony drug conviction. He also has a drunk driving case on his record.
His attorney is asking for a “time-served” sentence on the illegal re-entry guilty plea. Perhaps I wasn’t following the argument, but it seems to come down to his 2023 drug conviction is really the fault of the feds, because they failed to prosecute him for illegal immigration back in 2021, when he was arrested. If he had been shipped back to Mexico way back then, all of this recent unpleasantness could have been avoided.
His lawyer also presented a “mostly law-abiding” defense. I’ll report back on what the judge has to say.
Finally, we have Eduhi Raul Perea-Lizeaga of Guatemala.
Perea took Minnesota Man of the Day honors on October 8. His illegal reentry case follows three drunk driving arrests with ever-increasing levels of BAC.
He is due in federal court in downtown St. Paul this afternoon for a combined plea deal and sentencing hearing.
¡Adiós, Eduhi, adiós!