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Great Bend man sentenced to life without parole
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One day after a Topeka man was sentenced to life in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking operation, his accomplice from Great Bend has also received a life sentence without parole, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said Tuesday.

Adan Molina, 30, Great Bend, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He entered the plea in November after three days of trial in U.S. District Court in Topeka.

In his plea, Molina admitted he participated in a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine to Great Bend, Topeka and Kansas City, Kan. He admitted that Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized more than $690,000 in cash, 10 pounds of methamphetamine, firearms and vehicles when they served search warrants at drug stash houses in Topeka, Kansas City and Great Bend that were controlled by the traffickers.

At his sentencing hearing, the prosecution proved that Molina was a co-leader of this organization and that methamphetamine was imported from Mexico and firearms and ammunition were exported back to the cartel in Mexico.

During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Molina was equal partners with co-defendant Alfonso Rubio-Ayala in the organization. Molina personally obtained approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine monthly for distribution in Kansas.

Co-defendant Adan Molina was sentenced Monday to life in federal prison.

Earlier reports from the U.S. Attorneys office stated the drug operation was running in 2008 and 2009.

Grissom commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Topeka Police Department, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, the Salina I-70/I-35 Task Force, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the Barton County Sheriff’s Office, the Great Bend Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office, Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Duston Slinkard and Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Hendershot for their work on the case.