South Bay Heroin Trafficker Sentenced To Ten Years In Prison

SAN JOSE – Ramon Daniel Quezada was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to possess heroin and possession with intent to distribute heroin, announced United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge John J. Martin.  The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Beth Labson Freeman, U.S. District Judge, following the entry of Quezada’s guilty plea to the charges on November 15, 2016.

According to his plea agreement, Quezada, 26, of San Jose, admitted that in April and May of 2016, he lived with two individuals with whom he sold methamphetamine and heroin.  He acknowledged distributing methamphetamine, collecting money from the sale of the drugs, and using his cellular telephone to communicate with potential buyers and arrange the sales of the drugs.  Quezada also admitted that on May 27, 2016, he was present at his home, in possession of a firearm, when law enforcement agents conducted a search of his residence and found approximately 1,745 grams of methamphetamine and over 1000 grams of heroin. 

On July 7, 2016, a federal grand jury indicted Quezada and his co-conspirators for their respective roles in the conspiracy.  For his part, Quezada was charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846; two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. 846; and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a).  Pursuant to his guilty plea, Quezada pleaded guilty to the heroin charges and the methamphetamine charges were dismissed.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Freeman ordered Quezada to serve a five-year period of supervised release and ordered him to forfeit a handgun and assorted magazines and ammunition.  Quezada is in custody and will begin serving the sentence immediately.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Nedrow is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Susan Kreider.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA.