HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A local man charged in a drug distribution case was back in court Tuesday where he entered a plea to the charges against him
John Zapata-Beltran is now guilty of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and other drugs and drug paraphernalia, all with intent to distribute. Other charges includes aggravated endangerment of a child and criminal possession of a weapon.
The case itself began with a search being served on a home in the Careyville neighborhood of southeast Hutchinson, as well as a Jaguar where drugs and a Taurus 9 mm handgun were allegedly found.
In the master bedroom, they allege that they found green residue wrapped in tin foil and an empty digital scale box. On top of a dryer, officers found two burnt marijuana cigarettes and, inside a bathroom, officers found a small baggie of suspected methamphetamine.
In the trunk of a 2003 Jaguar sitting on a trailer, they allegedly found two backpacks and inside one them was a small lock box with some prescription drugs, new packaging materials, $10,000 in cash and a Taurus 9 mm handgun with a loaded magazine and two holsters. In the front pocket of the backpack were two digital scales. In the other backpack, they allegedly found more drugs, including 14.5 grams of methamphetamine and several bags of suspected marijuana weighing about 340 grams.
The case goes back to the spring of 2015 and has been going through the courts over various motions. Beltran agreed to enter the plea and will be sentenced on March 31.