Former California Resident Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison on Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Charges

PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Stockton, California has been sentenced in federal court to 120 months of imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release on his conviction for violating federal narcotics and money laundering laws related to a nine-month Title III wiretap investigation into drug trafficking in and around the counties of Jefferson, Clearfield, and Allegheny, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Christian Maldonado, age 35.

According to information presented to the court, Maldonado packed for shipment at least 280 pounds of methamphetamine that was shipped from the Stockton, California area to the Western District of Pennsylvania. Maldonado also received parcels containing over $1,000,000 in United States currency as payment for the methamphetamine. At the time of Maldonado’s arrest, seventeen firearms, jewelry, a large amount of marijuana, and $212,907 was seized from his residence.

Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan D. Lusty prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

United States Attorney Olshan commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Services, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police, and Pennsylvania State Police. Also assisting were the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office, and the Clarion Borough Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Maldonado. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.