Drug trafficker gets 10 years despite surgically replaced fingertips to avoid getting caught

Seattle Post Intelligencer
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
02/17/06

YAKIMA, Wash. -- A man who had his fingertips surgically removed to avoid identification has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of drug trafficking.

Jesus Jimenez-Mejia, 29, of Mexico already was in custody on immigration charges in May when authorities launched a series of raids in the Yakima area that resulted in more than 30 arrests on drug and immigration charges.

Prosecutors called it one of the largest methamphetamine operations ever busted in central Washington and named Jimenez-Mejia as the mastermind.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bud Ellis said Jimenez-Mejia had his fingertips replaced with fingertips from another human being. He said authorities do not know where the replacement fingertips came from.


Parts is parts



Customers at Farm Fresh fit an index finger into the small, black fingertip scanner and then select a payment option. STEVE EARLEY/THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Farm Fresh testing fingertip scanner at checkout
By JEREMIAH MCWILLIAMS, The Virginian-Pilot
© July 7, 2005