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Press Release
Bay Area Residents Charged In Drug Distribution Conspiracy And Related Crimes
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of California
Indictment updates charges in a previously-filed criminal complaint that describes an extensive drug distribution network.
SAN FRANCISCO- A federal grand jury indicted 23 individuals, 22 of whom are Bay Area residents, for their respective roles in a conspiracy to engage in an extensive drug trafficking network, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge John J. Martin. The indictment was unsealed today.
The seventeen-count indictment charges that between March 22, 2016, and April 27, 2017, nineteen of the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine and more than five kilograms of cocaine and heroin. In addition, the indictment accuses all but one of the defendants of possession with intent to distribute drugs. The defendant not accused of possessing and distributing drugs is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The precise charges against each defendant, as well as their ages and places of residence, are set out in the chart below.
|
Defendant |
Age/ Residence |
Charges |
Statute |
|
Felix Galindo |
32/ San Francisco |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine |
21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(ii)(II) |
||
|
Natalie Hernandez |
21/ San Francisco |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine |
21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(ii)(II) |
||
|
Pedro Lopez-Galindo |
30/ San Francisco |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine |
21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(ii)(II) |
||
|
Carolina Soto |
28/ Daly City |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine |
21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(ii)(II) |
||
|
Rafael Romero-Rodriguez |
20/ Fresno |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin
|
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute Cocaine 500 Grams or More of Cocaine |
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(ii)(II) |
||
|
Ismael Rodriguez Loreto |
33/ Fresno |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute Cocaine 500 Grams or More of Cocaine |
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B) |
||
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine |
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(ii)(II) |
||
|
Carlos Ferran Leon |
33/ Hayward |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. § 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of A Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine (2 Counts)
|
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(viii)
|
||
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 28 Grams or More of Cocaine Base |
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(iii) |
||
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of A Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine (5 counts) |
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(viii) |
||
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute Heroin (2 counts) |
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) |
||
|
Jesus Chavez Espinoza |
26/ San Jose |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of A Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine |
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(viii)
|
||
|
Efrain Torres |
28/ San Jose |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of A Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine |
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(viii)
|
||
|
Henry Javier Lopez Alverto |
29/ San Francisco |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Xavier Eriberto Sanchez Hernandez |
25/ San Francisco |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of A Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine |
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(viii) |
||
|
Juan Jose Flores Jr. |
38/ Daly City |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Yader Rubi-Morales |
25/ San Pablo |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Branko Budimir |
29/ San Francisco |
Felon in possession of a firearm |
18 U.S.C. § 922(g) |
|
Julio Covarrubias |
38/ San Francisco |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute Heroin (3 counts) |
|
||
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of A Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine (5 counts) |
|
||
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of A Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine |
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(viii) |
||
|
Theresa Carter |
27/ San Francisco |
Possession With Intent to Distribute 28 Grams or More of Cocaine Base
|
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(iii) |
|
Jose Villanueva-Canchola |
28/ San Francisco |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Anthony Balenzuela |
56/ San Francisco |
Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of a Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine |
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(viii) |
|
Lillian Larios |
37/ San Francisco |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Antonio Serranorivas |
21/ San Francisco |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of A Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine |
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(viii) |
||
|
Stephen Asmus |
25/ Redding |
Possession With Intent to Distribute Heroin
|
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) |
|
Lucy Lopez |
40/ San Leandro |
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
|
Robert Zander Seaton |
33/ San Francisco |
Possession With Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of A Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine |
21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
The indictment follows the filing of a criminal complaint on April 25, 2017, and updates the charges against the six defendants who were named in that original complaint: Pedro Lopez-Galindo, Felix Lopez-Galindo, Natalie Hernandez, Carolina Soto, Ismael Rodriguez-Loreto, and Rafael Romero-Rodriguez. According to the complaint, the DEA had been investigating a drug trafficking organization since November of 2016, and believed that the organization distributed large quantities of heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine in California and other states. The complaint accuses Felix Lopez-Galindo of running the organization with the help of his brother, Pedro Lopez-Galindo. Pedro is described in the complaint as Felix’s “right-hand man.” Also described in the complaint are two seizures by the DEA of cocaine. As a result of the first seizure, on April 13, 2017, the DEA intercepted at least 500 grams of cocaine headed from Fresno to Northern California. The second seizure occurred April 20, 2017, and resulted in the confiscation of more than 5 kilograms of cocaine.
The indictment unsealed today includes all the charges made in the original complaint and adds an additional 17 defendants. The indictment also describes more than a dozen additional transactions in which two or more of the defendants are alleged to have possessed, purchased, or sold cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The maximum statutory penalties for the crimes of which the defendants have been accused are as follows:
|
Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine, 500 Grams or More of Methamphetamine, and Heroin |
21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A) |
Minimum 10 years prison Maximum lifetime imprisonment Minimum 5 years supervised release following incarceration Maximum lifetime supervised release Maximum $10,000,000 fine |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute Cocaine 500 Grams or More of Cocaine |
21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(ii)(II) |
Minimum 5 years prison Maximum 40 years Minimum 4 years supervised release following incarceration Maximum lifetime supervised release Maximum $5,000,000 fine |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute Cocaine 5 Kilograms or More of Cocaine |
|
Minimum 10 years prison Maximum lifetime imprisonment Minimum years supervised release following incarceration Maximum lifetime supervised release Maximum $10,000,000 fine |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of A Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine |
21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A)(viii) |
Minimum 10 years imprisonment Maximum lifetime imprisonment Minimum 5 years supervised release following incarceration Maximum lifetime supervised release Maximum $10,000,000 fine |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 28 Grams or More of Cocaine Base |
21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(iii) |
Minimum 5 years prison Maximum 40 years Minimum 4 years supervised release following incarceration Maximum lifetime supervised release Maximum $5,000,000 fine |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of A Mixture and Substance Containing Methamphetamine |
21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(viii) |
Minimum 5 years prison Maximum 40 years Minimum 4 years supervised release following incarceration Maximum lifetime supervised release Maximum $5,000,000 fine |
|
Possession With Intent to Distribute Heroin |
|
Maximum 20 years imprisonment Maximum lifetime supervised release following incarceration Minimum 3 years supervised release Maximum $1,000,000 fine |
|
Felon in Possession of a Firearm |
18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) |
Maximum 10 years in prison Maximum 3 years supervised release Maximum $250,000 fine |
Further, additional fines, forfeitures, denial of federal benefits, deportation, and restitution may be ordered; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Several of the defendants were arrested yesterday as part of a criminal enforcement operation. The coordinated arrests and searches took place in San Francisco, Daly City, and San Jose. The first district court appearance for defendants is on June 15, 2017, before the Honorable William H. Orrick
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sheila Armbrust and Rita Lin are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA with assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; Daly City Police Department Redwood City Police Department; San Francisco Police Department; South San Francisco Police Department; California Highway Patrol; San Bruno Police Department; San Mateo Narcotics Task Force; Alameda County Sheriffs Office; Richmond Police Department; San Francisco Sherriff’s Department; and the Long Beach Police Department. The investigation is part of this district’s Organized Drug Enforcement Task Force program.
Updated June 22, 2017
Topics
Drug Trafficking
Firearms Offenses
Component