Major Methamphetamine Trafficking Sentences Secured in Independence County

Major Methamphetamine Trafficking Sentences Secured Following Multi-Agency Investigation

In January 2024, the 16th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Drug Task Force, working with the Independence County Sheriff’s Office, opened a targeted investigation into Jose Gonzalez-Rosales for large-scale methamphetamine distribution in Independence County, Arkansas. Through court-authorized surveillance and related techniques, investigators identified Gonzalez-Rosales’s network of associates. In May 2024, officers arrested Gonzalez-Rosales and recovered large amounts of methamphetamine. Prosecuting Attorney Drew Smith prosecuted the case, and in December 2024, Gonzalez-Rosales was sentenced to 27 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections for trafficking methamphetamine.

By August 2024, the Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Task Force focused on Antonio Moncada-Paz, identified as an associate of Gonzalez-Rosales and a higher-level distributor operating within the Judicial District. After several controlled purchases, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Moncada-Paz’s Independence County residence. The search resulted in the seizure of 2,140 grams (approximately 4.7 pounds) of methamphetamine at the residence, with a total of 2,220.7 grams attributed to Moncada-Paz and an estimated street value of $111,035.

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In 2025, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office secured a 40-year sentence for Moncada-Paz for trafficking and delivery of methamphetamine. Moncada-Paz, who was previously convicted of trafficking methamphetamine in 2012 and deported, had also recently been convicted of illegal reentry into the US.

Prosecuting Attorney Drew Smith stated that the 16th Judicial District will continue to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of major narcotics traffickers in order to protect the safety and well-being of our communities.

About the 16th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
The Office serves Cleburne, Fulton, Independence, Izard, and Stone counties, partnering with local, state, and federal agencies to investigate and prosecute criminal offenses and uphold public safety throughout the District.