Bay Area Man Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Methamphetamine Conspiracy And Possessing Firearms As A Felon

SAN FRANCISCO –Michael Mauricio was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment today for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Rayfield Roundtree.  The sentence was handed down today by the Hon. Charles R. Breyer, United States District Judge.  Judge Breyer also sentenced Mauricio to a 5-year term of supervised release.

Mauricio pleaded guilty to the charges on April 24, 2019.  According to his plea agreement, Mauricio admitted the he and a co-conspirator distributed methamphetamine and guns in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Mauricio attempt to avoid detection from law enforcement by using a co-conspirator to enter into transactions for him.  For example, on November 1, 2018, Mauricio gave his co-conspirator 98 grams of methamphetamine and a handgun to sell to a customer.  Similarly, on November 8, 2018, Mauricio gave 170 grams of methamphetamine to his co-conspirator to sell to a customer and on December 6, 2018, Mauricio gave his co-conspirator 226 grams of methamphetamine and several guns to sell to a customer. Mauricio also admitted he was a convicted felon, which made his mere possession of the firearms illegal.    

On April 23, 2019, Mauricio was charged by superseding information with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(b)(1)(B)(viii), and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).  Mauricio pleaded guilty to all three counts.

Assistant United States Attorney Neal C. Hong prosecuted the case with the assistance of Linda Love.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF and the San Mateo County Police Department.