Bay Point Resident Sentenced To More Than Nine Years In Prison For Methamphetamine Trafficking

OAKLAND – Joseph Edward Conner was sentenced to 112 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge John J. Martin, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Michael Batdorf, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Inspector in Charge Rafael E. Nuñez, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Director of Field Operations Brian J. Humphrey, and Special Agent in Charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Ryan L. Spradlin.  The sentence was handed down yesterday by the Hon. Haywood S. Gilliam, U.S. District Judge, following a guilty plea entered August 22, 2016, in which Conner admitted he intended to possess and distribute the drugs. 

According to his plea agreement, Conner, 47, of Bay Point, Calif., acknowledged that he negotiated the sale of methamphetamine on three separate occasions.  On August 22, 2014, Conner negotiated the sale of a half-pound of 99% pure methamphetamine for $3,000.  Conner sold the drugs to an undercover DEA Task Force Officer in the parking lot of the Sun Valley Mall in Concord, Calif.  Later, Conner used text messages to arrange another meeting with the undercover officer that would take place on November 6, 2014, at the same parking lot.  Upon meeting with the undercover officer, Conner handed the officer a pound of 99.5% pure methamphetamine in exchange for $5,400. The third transaction occurred on December 16, 2014, for three pounds of 97.5% pure methamphetamine.  On this occasion, Conner sought to sell the drugs for $14,400, but was arrested prior to completing the sale.

Conner was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 2, 2015.  He was charged with three counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).  Under the plea agreement, Conner pleaded guilty to all three counts alleged in the indictment.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Gilliam sentenced Conner to a 3-year period of supervised release.  Following his arrest on December 16, 2014, Conner was released on a $150,000 secured bond.  Judge Gilliam ordered the defendant to surrender on or before June 9, 2017, to begin serving his sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Claudia A. Quiroz, Andrew Dawson, and David Countryman are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lance Libatique and Carolyn Jusay.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA, assisted by IRS Criminal Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, South San Francisco Police Department, Oakland Police Department, Oakland School Police Department, Walnut Creek Police Department, and San Ramon Police Department.