FROM THE RADIO NEWS DEPARTMENT

A Johnson City Man Has Been Ordered To Spend Time Behind Bars After Being Convicted Of Drug And Firearms Charges. 45 Year Old Mario Valazquez Was Found Guilty Of Distribution And Conspiracy To Distribute Cocaine, Being An Illegal Immigrant In Possession Of A Firearm And Ammunition, And Possession Of A Firearm In Furtherance Of A Drug Trafficking Offense. He Was One Of 36 Defendants Indicted For Operating A Large-Scale Cocaine Trafficking Organization Which Was Responsible For The Distribution Of Large Amounts Of The Drug In The Tri Cities Area Over An Extended Period Of Time. Valazquez Was Sentenced To 65 Years In Prison.