Lafayette man to spend 3 decades in prison for dealing drugs

LAFAYETTE, ind. (WLFI) - A Lafayette man will spend more than three decades in prison for dealing drugs.

Tippecanoe County Prosecutor Pat Harrington said 27-year-old Arturo Fuentes was sentenced to 32 years in prison after pleading guilty to dealing and possessing cocaine.

Harrington says Fuentes was a significant supplier in the county who had more than 400 grams of cocaine, worth 30 to 40 thousand dollars when he was arrested in 2011.

Last May, Fuentes' wife told police she found what she thought to be cocaine in their house.

When police arrived, Fuentes consented to a search of the house and investigators found baggies of cocaine, $4,000 in cash, guns, and a fake resident alien card.

Officers later found Fuentes had packaged cocaine in his mouth.

Harrington said Fuentes admitted having cocaine earlier to sell but denied knowing there was any in his house.