By Steve Neavling
Two Texas men who posed as DEA agents to rob marijuana growers in southern Oregon were sentenced to federal prison Wednesday, and a third pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme.
Nevin Cuevas Morales, 23, of San Antonio, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Michael Rey Acuna, 23, also of San Antonio, received a sentence of five years and four months, followed by four years of supervised release. Both men will be required to pay restitution, with the amount to be determined at a later date.
A third San Antonio resident, Juan Carlos Conchas, 23, pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy charges related to robbery and drug trafficking. He faces up to 40 years in prison, a fine of $5 million, and four years of supervised release when he’s sentenced July 17 by U.S. District Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai.
The incident unfolded on March 12, 2022, when Josephine County sheriff’s deputies responded to reports of an armed robbery at a rural property. Deputies found vehicles with Texas license plates abandoned at the entrance, their doors open. Victims at the scene said armed intruders, dressed in DEA-like clothing and body armor, restrained them with zip ties and duct tape.
Deputies discovered large plastic bins filled with packaged marijuana throughout the property, along with firearms, ammunition, and badges resembling those used by DEA agents along a trail the suspects used to flee.
Investigators determined Morales, Acuna, Conchas, and others had traveled from San Antonio to southern Oregon to steal more than 200 pounds of marijuana. Photographs recovered from their phones showed them posing as DEA agents while armed.
Morales and Acuna were arrested in San Antonio in October 2022, shortly after federal indictments were issued. Conchas was arrested a week later.
In addition to Morales, Acuna, and Conchas, three other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from the conspiracy. Two have been sentenced, and the third awaits sentencing.
The FBI and ATF led the investigation, with support from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Judith R. Harper, an assistant U.S. attorney, is prosecuting the case.
