Another Huge California Bust: $10,000,000 Worth of Hard Drugs Siezed

"Yaqui" for Borderland Beat

Merced County Drug Trafficking Investigation Leads To Turlock Man’s Arrest; Approximately $10 Million Worth Of Drugs Seized:

An investigation into a Merced County drug trafficking operation resulted in a Turlock man’s arrest after more than $10 million worth of drugs – including meth, cocaine and heroin – was located at his Huntington Beach residence, the California Department of Justice announced on Thursday.

Luis Armando Romero Jr. faces a one-count indictment for distributing meth based on an alleged sale in Merced County, the DOJ said in a news release.

On April 6, authorities searched Romero Jr.’s Huntington Beach home and located approximately 280 pounds of meth, 25 kilograms of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl pills, three kilograms of fentanyl powder, two pounds of heroin and over $73,000 in cash, officials said.

Merced Area Gang and Narcotic Enforcement Team (MAGNET) began investigating meth supply in Merced County in January. Romero Jr. was identified as a suspect during that investigation and it was learned he had a residence in Huntington Beach.

The DOJ said the Huntington Beach Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department assisted MAGNET in the investigation.

                           

California Department of Justice Announces Results of Investigation into Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Operation in the Central Valley:

The California Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the results of a search warrant operation in Huntington Beach by the DOJ-led Merced Area Gang & Narcotic Enforcement Team (MAGNET) that led to the arrest of Luis Armando Romero Jr. of Turlock. Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California Phillip A. Talbert announced today that Romero Jr. faces a one-count indictment charging him with distribution of methamphetamine based on an alleged sale in Merced County earlier this year.

In January, MAGNET began an investigation into the source of the supply of methamphetamine in Merced County. The investigation culminated in a search warrant operation on Romero Jr.’s Huntington Beach residence on April 6, 2021. During the search, agents seized approximately 280 pounds of methamphetamine, 25 kilograms of cocaine, 20 pounds of fentanyl pills, three kilograms of fentanyl powder, two pounds of heroin, and over $73,000 in U.S. currency. The estimated street value of the drugs that were seized is over $10 million. MAGNET agents were assisted during the operation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Huntington Beach Police Department. Romero Jr. was arrested during the search.

MAGNET is a multiagency task force led by DOJ that is federally funded through the national High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program. It is comprised of members from the California Department of Justice, Merced County Sheriff’s Office, Merced Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Merced County Probation Department, Merced County District Attorney’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Today’s charges are the result of effective multiagency and multijurisdictional collaboration by all the law enforcement agencies involved. Together, agents were able to zero in and take down an individual allegedly involved in trafficking illegal drugs in Merced County.

It is important to note that every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

From the USDOJ:

Department of Justice.  U.S. Attorney’s Office.   Eastern District of California   Thursday, April 22, 2021

Turlock Man Charged for Large-Scale Drug Trafficking Operation:

Fresno, California: A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Luis Armando Romero Jr., 20, of Turlock, charging him with distribution of methamphetamine.

Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon made the announcement with the California Department of Justice.

According to court documents, on Jan. 28, in Merced County, Romero sold approximately 1 kilogram of a mixture containing methamphetamine. Subsequently, on April 6, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Romero’s residence in Huntington Beach and found approximately 280 pounds (127 kilograms) of methamphetamine, 55 pounds (25 kilograms) of cocaine, 20 pounds (9 kilograms) of fentanyl pills, 6.6 pounds (3 kilograms) of fentanyl powder, and 2 pounds (907 grams) of heroin. Agents also seized more than $73,000 in cash.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Department of Justice, the Merced Area Gang and Narcotic Enforcement Team, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Antonio J. Pataca and Kathleen Servatius are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Romero faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of up to life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charge is only an allegation, the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Sources: US DOJ/ CA DOJ / SacCBSLocal