Three Fresno Men Indicted For Methamphetamine Trafficking

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an 11-count indictment today against Fresno residents Jose Ortiz-Medrano, 25; Luciano Ramirez-Santa Cruz; and Jose Alberto Flores, 27, charging them with methamphetamine trafficking offenses, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. Luciano Ramirez-Santa Cruz was also charged with being an unlawful alien in possession of a firearm. 

According to court documents, the defendants were involved in selling methamphetamine. On November 13, 2014, agents served search warrants at each of the defendant’s residences and on Ramirez’s car.  In total, they seized more than $14,000 in cash, a pound of marijuana, several cellphones, approximately a kilogram of methamphetamine, and two gallons of methamphetamine in solution.  They also seized three firearms allegedly possessed by Ramirez.

This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC). Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez is prosecuting the case.

All defendants are in custody. If convicted, all defendants face 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.