Jose Miguel Perez, a 42-year-old resident of Corona, California, received a sentence of 11 years and three months in prison for trafficking significant quantities of cocaine and heroin. U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff delivered the sentence following Perez’s conviction for possessing over five kilograms of cocaine and more than one kilogram of heroin with intent to distribute. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.
Court documents revealed that law enforcement officers stopped Perez while he was driving north on Interstate 5 in Fresno County. During the stop, deputies discovered 56 kilograms of various narcotics concealed within two hidden compartments in his vehicle. Specifically, seven kilograms of cocaine were found in the car’s ceiling, and an additional cache consisting of 37 kilograms of cocaine, 10 kilograms of heroin, and two kilograms of ketamine was located in a compartment within the roof.
The investigation leading to Perez’s arrest was conducted by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office alongside the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple handled the prosecution.
