Tulare County Woman Sentenced to 16 Years and 3 Months in Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine

FRESNO, Calif. — Alma Sanchez, 50, of Alpaugh, was sentenced today to 16 years and three months in prison for distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Sanchez distributed methamphetamine on two occasions to a co-conspirator, who then immediately sold the methamphetamine. On June 16, 2021, Sanchez distributed a pound and a half of methamphetamine, and on and Jan. 31, 2022, she distributed another 2 pounds of methamphetamine.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Coalinga Police Department, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, the Tulare County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Unit (HIDTA), and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.