Bakersfield Man Charged With Possession With Intent To Distribute 12 Kilograms Of Cocaine
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment on Thursday against Jonathan Arturo Alvarez, 25, of Bakersfield, charging him with possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, on April 2, 2015, a California Highway Patrol officer conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle driven by Alvarez in Siskiyou County. A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 12 kilograms of cocaine.
This case was the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol, Siskiyou Unified Major Investigations (SUMIT) and Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Olusere Olowoyeye is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Alvarez faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would 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; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
