Richard Charles Thomas Jr., 42, from Merced has been sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison. U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston handed down the sentence for possessing over 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.
Court documents reveal that on August 25, 2020, a law enforcement officer attempted to stop Thomas for a traffic violation. Instead of complying, Thomas accelerated, leading officers on a high-speed chase through residential streets in Merced. During the pursuit, he drove at speeds reaching 100 miles per hour, traveled on the wrong side of the road, ignored stop signs, and threw a bag out of his car window.
Thomas was eventually apprehended after abandoning his moving vehicle and fleeing on foot. Officers recovered the discarded bag which contained several thousand dollars in cash and nearly two pounds of methamphetamine with a purity level of 99%.
The investigation was conducted by the Merced Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez and Cody S. Chapple.
