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Press Release

Los Angeles man guilty of drug trafficking

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of West Virginia

ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – A federal jury sitting in Elkins found Cesar Navarro, of Los Angeles, California, guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and other counts for mailing methamphetamine through the U.S. mail, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.

After less than two hours of jury deliberations, Navarro, age 39, was found guilty of one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute More than 50 Grams of Methamphetamine,” two counts of “Unlawful Use of Communication Facility,” and two counts of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.”

Navarro often mailed at least one pound of crystal methamphetamine at a time to drug dealers in Grant and Hardy Counties and in Frederick County, Virginia, in exchange for large amounts of cash.  Over a period of two years, Navarro was responsible for trafficking into West Virginia approximately fifty pounds of highly pure crystal methamphetamine.

“Methamphetamine distribution is an increasing threat to the communities in the district.  We will not waiver in our commitment to prosecute these offenses to the fullest extent of the law.  I greatly appreciate the hard work of our trial team and all of the law enforcement agencies which led to the guilty verdicts,” said Powell.    

Navarro faces up to life in prison and a $4,000,000 fine for the conspiracy count, up to four years incarceration and a fine of up to $30,000 for each of the communication counts, and faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the each of the distribution counts. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Warner and Andrew R. Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The United States Postal Inspection Service, The West Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations, and the Frederick County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office investigated. 
 
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
 

Updated March 8, 2018

Topic
Drug Trafficking