2 face federal charges in meth distribution involving child

Two men are accused of using a juvenile to transport meth while one them was in prison, federal prosecutors said.

Daniel Saldana, 36, and Mario Estrada, 21, were indicted in June on charges of conspiracy, distribution of a controlled substance and aiding and abetting. The federal indictment was unsealed Thursday, when the pair made an initial court appearance.

The indictment states that the pair distributed more than 50 grams of meth between January and June 2 in Nevada and other places, which were not specified.

According to a releases from the Nevada U.S. attorney’s office, the men employed an unidentified juvenile to help sell drugs.

“The Department of Justice is committed to the prosecution of drug trafficking organizations that exploit juveniles to further the trafficking of narcotics,” prosecutors wrote in the statement. “Methamphetamine is a highly addictive drug with potent central nervous system stimulant properties. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II stimulant under the Controlled Substances Act, which means that it has a high potential for abuse.”

Saldana was sentenced to at least three years in the Nevada Department of Corrections in 2021 for burglary, and authorities said he was in prison while Estrada and the juvenile helped him distribute meth.

The men are scheduled for trial in the federal case September, and they face a 10-year minimum sentence and the possibility of life in prison.

It was unclear Monday if the juvenile was facing any charges.

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.