Robert Godinez, a 53-year-old resident of Hayward, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for possessing methamphetamine and heroin with intent to distribute and for using a cellphone to facilitate drug trafficking. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
Court documents state that on August 30, 2019, law enforcement stopped Godinez during a traffic stop after he had purchased methamphetamine and heroin from a dealer in Stockton. Officers found two pounds of methamphetamine and about half a pound of heroin in his vehicle. During the prosecution process, Godinez submitted false declarations to the district court and lied to his probation officer. These actions led to an obstruction of justice sentencing enhancement.
The investigation involved several agencies: the Federal Bureau of Investigation; California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; San Joaquin County Probation Department; Stockton Police Department; and Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Lee and Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative under Executive Order 14159, which focuses on combating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, as well as human smuggling and trafficking rings both in the United States and abroad. The HSTF brings together multiple government agencies to identify, investigate, and prosecute crimes linked to these organizations.
The Sacramento branch of HSTF includes agents from Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, DEA, Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, with prosecutions handled by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
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