Nuestra Familia Associates Plead Guilty to Drug Trafficking Offenses
| U.S. Attorney’s Office July 23, 2013 |
FRESNO, CA—Felipe Gutierrez, 38, of Madera, pleaded guilty yesterday to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and Manuel Alejandro Garcia, 27, of Lemoore, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the California Department of Justice Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement; the Hanford Police Department; the Kings County Gang Enforcement Task Force; and the Kings County Narcotics Enforcement Task Force involving drug trafficking offenses committed by members and associates of the Nuestra Familia. Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez, Kathleen A. Servatius, and Melanie L. Alsworth are prosecuting the case.
“One of ATF’s priorities is to rid our community of dangerous criminals who plague our neighborhoods by selling drugs,” stated Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Riehl. “The success of this investigation is attributed to the excellent undercover work that was conducted and the solid partnership between ATF, Kings County Narcotics Task Force, and the United States Attorney’s Office.”
According to court documents, during December 2009 through June 2010, Gutierrez was a member of the Madera County regiment of Nuestra Familia (NF). Gutierrez was involved with the distribution of methamphetamine to Sacramento and Modesto. According to court documents, during the same timeframe, Garcia assisted NF members in Kings County to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill on October 25, 2013. They face five to 40 years in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.