EUGENE, Ore. — A Mexican national has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for his role in a major drug trafficking operation that resulted in the largest methamphetamine seizure in Oregon state history.
Martin Manzo Negrete, an undocumented immigrant, was identified by federal authorities as the leader of a sophisticated trafficking cell responsible for moving large quantities of methamphetamine from Southern California to Lane County, Oregon. According to court documents, Manzo Negrete oversaw the storage and distribution of the drugs across the region.
The investigation, launched in October 2020, targeted what authorities described as the “Manzo-Mares cell,” a tightly organized criminal network with deep ties to the Southern California drug trade. Over nearly a year, law enforcement officials tracked the group’s movements and logistics, eventually closing in on their local operations.
On September 15, 2021, a coordinated law enforcement sweep led to a breakthrough. Officers discovered 384 pounds of methamphetamine—the largest single seizure in Oregon’s history—stored in a Lane County unit, alongside 14 firearms and more than $76,000 in cash.
Manzo Negrete and five co-conspirators were arrested shortly after. All six individuals later pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to drug trafficking and weapons possession. Each has since been sentenced to time in federal prison.
The investigation was led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in collaboration with the Springfield Police Department, Eugene Police Department, and the Linn Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (LINE). The case was prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, a federal initiative focused on dismantling high-level criminal networks.
Officials said the case underscores the ongoing efforts to disrupt drug pipelines from the Southwest and remove violent trafficking organizations from Oregon communities.
“This operation is a clear example of what can be achieved when federal and local agencies work together to combat organized crime,” a DEA spokesperson said.
Manzo Negrete will serve his sentence in federal prison and faces potential deportation upon completion of his term.
