Plea agreements have been entered on behalf of the Kingman couple accused of running an organization that allegedly distributed more than 500 pounds of methamphetamine a year. Jose Ochoa, 37, and his wife Deaney, 32, entered pleas that are related in that punishment is heaped upon one in exchange for some leniency for the other.
Deputy county attorney Greg McPhillips said the Ochoas have children and were interested in a deal that guaranteed that at least one of them would be spared any significant period of incarceration.
Deaney Ochoa will be placed on probation and faces no more than six months county jail time if Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steve Conn approves the plea agreements at sentencing scheduled May 7. Mrs. Ochoa pled guilty to conspiracy to sell dangerous drugs.
Jose Ochoa pled guilty to the same charge as well as money laundering and two counts of attempted transportation of dangerous drugs for sale. He'll get a 15 year prison term if his deal is approved.
The Ochoas and 16 co-defendants were indicted in April, 2008 in the culmination of a more than year-long investigation dubbed "Operation Picture Perfect." 12 of the defendants have reached plea agreements with the other six face trial March 2.
The state's case was built largely from wiretaps. Drug cases typically involve hand to hand transactions and narcotics seizures.
McPhillips said the "Picture Perfect" prosecution hinges on communications more than seizures. Charges in multi-count indictments are built mostly from the wiretapped and taped telephone conversations of the Ochoas and other alleged drug ring members.
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