Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for his role in conspiracies to distribute methamphetamine in Jackson County, Mo., and to engage in money laundering.

Travis Ybarra, also known as “HoodNutt,” 27, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays on Wednesday, July 6, 2016, to 30 years in federal prison without parole.

On Aug. 28, 2015, Ybarra was found guilty of participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from Jan. 1, 2009, to Dec. 11, 2012. Ybarra was also found guilty of participating in a money-laundering conspiracy that involved proceeds of drug trafficking.

Ybarra was found responsible for the distribution of more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine. During the conspiracy, he made concerted efforts to threaten and locate for retribution individuals he believed owed him money and had cheated one of his drug dealers. He was recorded on telephone intercepts making threats.

Ybarra fled from law enforcement and discarded a firearm and methamphetamine. At the time of his arrest Ybarra was in possession of a firearm, ammunition and a Taser (along with drugs and drug trafficking items such as a money counter). His pre-trial release was revoked for fleeing from the police at such a high rate of speed that his car went airborne, and for being in possession of a semi-automatic assault-style rifle with four magazines and 119 rounds of ammunition and a 9mm handgun with 14 rounds.

In July 2011, the Jackson County Drug Task Force began an investigation into a drug-trafficking organization distributing methamphetamine in the Kansas City, Mo., area. Ybarra and co-defendant John Martinez, also known as “Whisper,” of Kansas City, Mo., were partners who supplied methamphetamine to mid-level distributers, who then sold the methamphetamine to others.

Martinez was sentenced on Feb. 10, 2015, to 12 years and six months in federal prison without parole, after pleading guilty to the same charges.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Adam Caine. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at

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