Three Men Indicted On Federal Drug Trafficking Charges
FRESNO, CA - Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Anthony D. Williams and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced today that a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Juan Luis Valtirra, 20, Gamaliel Villegas, 23, both of Watsonville, California and David Olivaras-Ruiz, 21, of Gilroy. The indictment charges that the defendants distributed and possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
A complaint filed earlier in the case alleges that on or about November 8, 2011, the three agreed to sell approximately seven pounds of methamphetamine, and that they delivered approximately one pound with a plan to retrieve and deliver the additional six pounds after they received payment for the first pound.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez is prosecuting the case.
The maximum statutory penalty for each charge is life imprisonment and a $10,000,000 fine with a 10 year mandatory minimum. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
