Cocaine dealer faces deportation to Mexico.

Gilberto Lopez with his attorney Kelly Lambert III.

Cocaine dealer faces deportation to Mexico.

#OceanaCountyCrime

By Allison Scarbrough. Editor.

HART — A 40-year-old New Era man who pleaded guilty to three felony counts of cocaine delivery Monday, Oct. 23, in 27th Circuit Court faces deportation to Mexico.

Gilberto Lopez, of 2905 Arthur Rd., was arrested Aug. 17 by State, Sheriffs’, Chiefs’ Enforcement of Narcotics Team (SSCENT) detectives for seven felony counts of delivery/manufacture of cocaine, heroin or another narcotic less than 50 grams and one count of felony firearms.

“Entry of the plea results in deportation,” said Oceana County Prosecutor Joseph Bizon. Lopez’s sentence will not exceed one year in the county jail. He must also forfeit his 9 mm pistol, which he was carrying at the time he committed or attempted to commit the crimes, said Judge Robert D. Springstead.

Lopez is lodged in the Oceana County Jail on a $25,000/cash/surety bond.

Lopez testified through a Spanish interpreter before Springstead Monday that he sold “less than 50 grams” of cocaine for “less than $1,000” from his home on three separate occasions.

“Lopez was the subject of an investigation that started in early 2016,” SSCENT Det./Lt. Andrew Ambrose previously said. “During the investigation, several undercover purchases of cocaine were made from Lopez. In the fall of 2016, a search warrant was executed in the 2900 block of Arthur Road that led to the seizure of an amount of cocaine and US currency.”

Judge Springstead said the drug transactions occurred during a time period from Sept. 15 through Nov. 9, 2016.

Detectives from SSCENT were assisted with their investigation over the past year and a half by the Michigan State Police, Oceana County Sheriff’s Office, Mason/Oceana Special emergency Response Team (SERT), Michigan State Police Bomb Squad, West Michigan Enforcement Team (WEMET) – Muskegon, Homeland Security Investigations and the Michigan State Police canine unit.

Cocaine delivery less than 50 grams is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing guidelines in the case are 0-17 months, Bizon said.

Sentencing is set for Dec. 18 at 9:30 a.m.

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Tags: 27th Circuit Court, court news