A federal jury convicted Alma Lucia Garza, 23, of Fresno, on Friday for her participation in a notorious fentanyl trafficking ring. (Fresno County SO)
- A federal jury convicts Alma Lucia Garza, 23, of Fresno for her participation in a notorious drug-trafficking ring.
- Evidence at trial showed Garza was a trusted assistant of the self-proclaimed M30 King of Fresno, Horacio Torrecillas Urias Jr.
- Garcia faces a maximum of 20 years in prison at her Jan. 6 sentencing.
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A federal jury convicted Alma Lucia Garza, 23, of Fresno, on Friday for her participation in a notorious fentanyl trafficking ring.
The jury concluded a four-day trial by finding Garza guilty of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine, as well as possession with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert said in a news release.
Evidence at trial showed that Garza was a trusted assistant of the self-proclaimed M30 King of Fresno, Horacio Torrecillas Urias Jr. And, between Nov. 2, 2021, and March 31, 2022, Garza teamed with Torrecillas Urias and others to obtain tens of thousands of counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills and large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine from sources in Mexico.
The conspiracy included the distribution of these illegal drugs to street dealers in and out of California. On Jan. 27, 2022, Garza mailed a package with cocaine and methamphetamine to a co-defendant in New Mexico. Law enforcement seized the package before it arrived.
Then, On Feb. 9, 2022, Garza traveled with Torrecillas Urias to Sanger to deliver thousands of pills laced with fentanyl and methamphetamine. Those pills were seized by law enforcement during the execution of a residential search warrant two days later.
Prosecutors Go 19-for-19 Against Drug Ring Defendants
Prosecutors charged Garza, Torrecillas Urias, and 17 others. All defendants pleaded guilty or were found guilty at trial.
Sentencing for Garza is set for Jan. 6, 2025. She faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. However, the court will determine her sentence after considering statutory factors and federal guidelines.
The Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team (a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Clovis Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca are the prosecutors.
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