HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A local man who entered a plea to the charges in a drug distribution case is scheduled for sentencing Friday.
John Zapata-Beltran entered the pleas to possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and other drugs and drug paraphernalia, all with intent to distribute. Other charges include aggravated endangerment of a child and criminal possession of a weapon.
The case itself began in the spring of 2015 with a search warrant 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, 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 sentencing is scheduled in front of Judge Trish Rose.