Man pleads guilty in drug deal that led to death of another man
A Las Vegas-area man pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday in a 2013 drug deal gone bad that left another man dead.
John Thomas, 34, pleaded guilty to two felonies — conspiracy to possess marijuana with intent to distribute and use of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime resulting in death.
The charges stem from the attempted street sale of 20 pounds of marijuana valued at about $35,000.
Thomas, who is in federal custody, agreed to accept a 25-year prison term at his June 1 sentencing before U.S. District Judge James Mahan.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Smith Jr. told Mahan that the plea agreement between Thomas and the government was binding on the judge.
Court documents allege that Thomas and another man, Louis Matthews, shot to death the man who was selling the marijuana, Luis Madrigal-Herrera, at a North Las Vegas apartment on Nov. 30, 2013.
As Thomas and Matthews fled with the marijuana, one of the drug dealer’s partners, Julio Nunez, returned fire with a shotgun, striking Thomas in the shoulder, the documents allege.
Nunez pleaded guilty in January to one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and is to be sentenced before Mahan on April 20.
Matthews and another defendant, Angel Juarez, are to stand trial May 16.
Contact Jeff German at jgerman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-8135. Find him on Twitter: @JGermanRJ
