ZANESVILLE, OHIO: A drug-dealing woman who hid $30,000 worth of drugs on her children was sentenced to a century in prison by an Ohio judge.
Victoria Barrientos, 27, was part of a conspiracy that trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in the region, according to the Muskingum County Prosecutors Office, Law and Crime reported.
Victoria Barrientos pleaded guilty for the second time
Barrientos, 27 pleaded guilty to the charges, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, money laundering, attempted money laundering, corrupting another with drugs, and trafficking drugs.
She was previously convicted of similar offenses of money laundering and permitting drug abuse but was released early into a halfway house after serving 18 months.
She did not reform her ways and was arrested again in August.
Victoria Barrientos' boyfriend is serving 15-19 years in jail
Prosecutors said she sold fentanyl to a man while talking to her boyfriend Deangelo “D-Lo” Tellis who is serving a 15 to 19-and-a-half-year sentence for leading the drug ring.
She also tried to regain custody of one of her children while carrying a bag of drugs disguised as baby wipes on her children.
The drugs were found by children’s services caseworkers who came to the scene. Prior to incarceration, Barrientos and Tellis were found by US Marshals in Michigan after they reportedly fled the state.
The two-year-long investigation led to the seizure of nearly 32 pounds of drugs, 13 firearms, and $9,000 in Muskingum County.
How was Victoria Barrientos arrested?
She was arrested during a traffic stop. "Children’s Services arrived at the stop because Barrientos had other children with her who needed to be placed in proper care," Muskingum County Prosecutors Office said in a release.
"While sorting through the children’s care items, caseworkers found a large quantity of suspected suboxone strips which had been individually bagged for distribution," the release added.
"The drugs planted on the child have an estimated prison value of $30,000," the release continued.
Prosecutors said Victoria Barrientos was addicted to easy money
Assistant Prosecutor John Litle said Barrientos was “addicted to the easy money of drug dealing” and deserved a harsh sentence.
“The century of prison handed out to this operation stands as a reminder that the courts in this county will always impose those serious sentences,” he said.
Barrientos was one of 14 associates of the Tellis group who were convicted and are either serving or have served time.
The group started operating outside Columbus in 2017 after an associate was murdered in Columbus. Authorities said the drug busts involving this group were among the largest in county history.
