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Bill McEwen updated website photo 2024
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 9 months ago on
September 30, 2024

A federal jury convicted Alma Lucia Garza, 23, of Fresno, on Friday for her participation in a notorious fentanyl trafficking ring. (Fresno County SO)

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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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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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