27½ pounds of meth lands man in prison

An undocumented immigrant was sentenced Friday to nearly three years in prison after he pleaded no-contest to trafficking a large quantity of methamphetamine with the help of his wife.

Oscar Omar Aguilar-Gomez, 30, had been found in possession of 27½ pounds of methamphetamine seized after a March 31 traffic stop near exit 30 on northbound Interstate 5.

According to an affidavit filed in Jackson County Circuit Court, Oregon State Police troopers noticed multiple air fresheners in use when they pulled over a gray Chevrolet TrailBlazer SUV driven by Aguilar-Gomez's wife, Sara Rosales-Lopez, for exceeding the speed limit and following too closely.

Aguilar-Gomez's court-appointed defense attorney Vance Michael Waliser said the SUV was borrowed from a friend, but according to court records Aguilar-Gomez and Rosales-Lopez were both unsure who owned the vehicle at the time of the traffic stop. After the couple gave troopers consent to search the SUV, troopers found 37 packages of crystal meth in the back below the cargo area.

Waliser said Aguilar-Gomez has lived in California since he was 13 years old and has no prior criminal record. The couple have children together who live in California.

"This is very unfortunate," Waliser said.

Aguilar-Gomez was sentenced to 34 months in prison after entering a no-contest plea to a single charge of delivery of methamphetamine. Waliser sought alternative incarceration programs for Aguilar-Gomez where applicable, which Judge Tim Barnack authorized, but Aguilar-Gomez faces deportation through immigration and customs services.

Rosales-Lopez pleaded guilty April 25 to a felony charge of delivery of methamphetamine in the case, and was sentenced to two years' probation. She will be deported.

Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or nmorgan@mailtribune.com. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat.