Man sentenced for leading drug trafficking operation in Lane County

Haleigh Kochanski, Eugene Register-Guard
·2 min read
The U.S. Courthouse, also know as the Wayne L. Morse United States Courthouse, in Eugene
The U.S. Courthouse, also know as the Wayne L. Morse United States Courthouse, in Eugene

A 33-year-old man was sentenced by a U.S. District Court Judge Tuesday to more than 11 years in prison for leading an international drug trafficking organization operating in Lane County.

According to court documents, Victor Diaz-Ramirez, 33, helped lead a drug trafficking organization responsible for smuggling large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine from Mexico into the United States.

Diaz-Ramirez operated out of Mexico and used a network of associates to transport the drugs from Southern California to Oregon and deliver them to local distributors in exchange for cash from March 2018 through Aug. 2020, according to prosecutors.

"While communities across our state continue to struggle with the ongoing drug crisis, there are criminal enterprises, like the Diaz-Ramirez drug trafficking organization, whose sole purpose is to profit from addiction and suffering," said Nathan Lichvarcik, chief of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Eugene and Medford.

As a part of an ongoing investigation, law enforcement officers seized more than 178 pounds of methamphetamine, 12 pounds of heroin, six pounds of fentanyl, 18 rifles, three rifle optics and ammunition, according to court documents. The organization also forfeited approximately $1.2 million.

Thirty-five people have been charged and convicted for roles in the operation, including individuals who sourced the supply in Mexico, who worked as couriers or as local cell operators in Lane County, and who worked as first and second-level distributors responsible for sales in and around Eugene, according to prosecutors.

A federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Diaz-Ramirez with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Aug. 2020. On Nov. 1, 2023, Diaz-Ramirez pleaded guilty to a single count superseding criminal information charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

A judgment issued Friday by Oregon District Court Judge Michael McShane sentenced Diaz-Ramirez to 135 months in prison with five years of supervised release.

The case was investigated by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Eugene and Springfield police departments, the Lane County Sheriff's Office, the Oregon State Police, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI.

Haleigh Kochanski is a breaking news and public safety reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at HKochanski@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Victor Diaz-Ramirez sentenced in Eugene drug trafficking case