FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Thursday, August 16, 2012
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FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Salvador Valencia-Galvan, 44, of Washington, with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a deported alien found in the United States.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the California Highway Patrol, and the Madera Narcotic Enforcement Task Force.

According to court documents, on June 22, 2012, Galvan possessed 50 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Further, the indictment alleges that the defendant was deported on November 11, 1996 after having been convicted of transportation or sale of a narcotic controlled substance and possession for sale of a narcotic controlled substance in 1995.

The maximum statutory penalty for the controlled substance offense is 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine. The charge also has a five year mandatory minimum.  The maximum penalty for the immigration violation is 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. 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 defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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