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Woman Leading Valley Drug Ring Gets 21 Years in Prison
Bill McEwen updated website photo 2024
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 4 years ago on
September 20, 2021

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Fifty-eight-year-old Alecia Trapps is headed to federal prison for 21 years in a sentence handed down on Friday by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd in Fresno.

According to court documents, the Manteca woman led a drug ring that shipped large amounts of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine from the Valley to Juneau, Alaska, where profits were higher.

Federal agents said that Trapps directed the ring’s drug couriers and selected their transportation modes.

Authorities said they seized 45 pounds of meth, 4 pounds of heroin, and 3 pounds of cocaine from the ring in 2018.

In at least one instance, drugs from Modesto destined for Juneau were seized in Washington state as the courier tried to board a ferry.

All Six Defendants Now Sentenced

Trapps is the last of six defendants sentenced in the case. The others:

    • Joseph Vasquez Jr., 26 years, eight months in prison;
    • Sheena Taylor, 10 years and three months in prison;
    • Jimmy Brantley, 10 years in prison;
    • Ernest Westley, two years and eight months in prison;
    • Carmen Conejo, five years’ probation.

Prosecutors and Investigators

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie L. Alsworth and Laurel J. Montoya prosecuted the case.

Federal agents teamed with the Modesto Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, and the Whatcom County (Washington) Sheriff’s Office to arrest the ring members and investigate the case.

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Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

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