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Press Release

Bakersfield Man Charged with Interstate Shipping of Heroin, Methamphetamine and Cocaine

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment today against Juan Pina, 22, of Bakersfield, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine and other related charges, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, on November 16, 2017, Pina allegedly paid to ship nearly 300 grams of cocaine through a Bakersfield parcel service to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. On November 30, 2017, Pina shipped a package containing three pounds of methamphetamine to Indianapolis, Indiana. On December 1, 2017, it is alleged that Pina shipped a package containing approximately 1 kilogram of cocaine to Virginia Beach, Virginia. Records obtained from the parcel service indicated that Pina, using the same alias each time, made similar shipments on at least 45 additional occasions.

On May 3, 2018, search warrants were executed for Pina’s residence and vehicle, and additional drugs were recovered at each location.

This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian K. Delaney is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Pina 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.

Updated May 11, 2018

Topic
Drug Trafficking
Press Release Number: 1:18-cr-100-DAD