Two Sacramento men involved in a drug trafficking organization have been sentenced for their roles in fentanyl distribution. U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd handed down the sentences on Monday, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.
Jose Guadalupe Lopez-Zamora, 30, received a 27-year prison sentence for various charges including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. He also faced counts of distributing fentanyl and possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
Joaquin Alberto Sotelo Valdez, 28, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for similar charges related to the distribution of fentanyl and other drugs.
Court documents reveal that Lopez-Zamora led an organization responsible for importing counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl from Mexico into northern California between May 2019 and January 2021. The group also distributed cocaine and methamphetamine during this period.
In addition to these sentences, fourteen co-defendants have pleaded guilty, with eight already sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 19 months to over ten years. Several others are scheduled for sentencing in July and August of this year.
The investigation was conducted by multiple agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and several local police departments. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs collaborated with Mexican authorities for extradition efforts related to this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program which targets high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States through a coordinated multi-agency approach.
