Angel Lazala-Soto, a 60-year-old man from Bani, Dominican Republic, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The sentence was announced by Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and handed down by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller on March 5, 2026.
Lazala-Soto had previously been convicted in federal court for attempted re-entry after deportation. In this case, he was indicted on March 6, 2025, following an investigation into his activities. He pleaded guilty to the charge on October 23, 2025. In addition to the prison term, Judge Miller ordered five years of supervised release for Lazala-Soto. There is no parole in the federal system.
The events leading to his arrest began on August 29, 2024, when Arkansas State Police troopers stopped a vehicle for following too closely. The driver was identified as Lazala-Soto. Troopers noticed he appeared nervous and communicated with him in Spanish due to language barriers. Lazala-Soto initially claimed he had driven from New Jersey the previous day to see his son for lunch; however, further investigation revealed that he had traveled from Austin, Texas.
After obtaining consent to search the vehicle, troopers found large duffle bags containing seven kilo-like bundles on top of the spare tire. During a subsequent interview at the police department, Lazala-Soto admitted he was transporting cocaine and explained that he had driven from New York to Austin and met someone at a gas station.
Lazala-Soto’s criminal record includes several felony convictions such as criminal mischief – second degree, grand larceny, distribution of cocaine, assault with a dangerous weapon, and possession of stolen property.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation with support from the Arkansas State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Stacy Williams prosecuted the case.
