Jose Manuel Ontiveros Verdugo, 40, of Stockton, has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. On the same day, Jorge Omar Arredondo-Garcia, 47, of Lodi, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, between July 2019 and December 2019, Verdugo and Arredondo-Garcia worked with co-defendants and others to distribute methamphetamine in Stockton and other parts of the country. An undercover source purchased a total of 11 pounds of methamphetamine and half a pound of heroin from the organization during the investigation. Law enforcement intercepted shipments that included 50 pounds of methamphetamine intended for Nebraska and a separate shipment of 21 pounds bound for Pennsylvania.
The investigation was conducted by several agencies: the Federal Bureau of Investigation led the case with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Customs and Border Protection, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, San Joaquin County Probation, Stockton Police Department, and Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting.
Charges remain pending against Gregorio Ontiveros Verdugo (42), Alberto Navarro Zapata (39), and Wilfredo Reyes (50). The charges are allegations; these individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Arredondo-Garcia is scheduled for sentencing on November 24, 2025 before Judge Drozd. He faces up to life in prison and a $10 million fine; however, the actual sentence will be determined based on statutory factors and federal guidelines.
This case falls under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program which focuses on identifying and dismantling major criminal organizations using an intelligence-driven approach involving multiple agencies. More information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
“Jose Manuel Ontiveros Verdugo, 40, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 16 years in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and Jorge Omar Arredondo-Garcia, 47, of Lodi, pleaded guilty today to the same offense,” Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez announced.
