LOS ANGELES – A Riverside County man has been brought to justice for his role in a massive methamphetamine operation. Alvaro Hector Martinez, 33, of Perris, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha to 144 months in federal prison for possessing while intending to distribute kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and for illegally possessing firearms and ammunition.
Martinez pleaded guilty in June 2023 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. His guilty plea marks the end of a months-long investigation into Martinez’s activities.
According to court documents, in February 2021, Martinez sold approximately 872 grams of methamphetamine to a buyer at the direction of a Sinaloan drug trafficker. The following month, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Martinez, during which they discovered 35 packages containing approximately 15.4 kilograms (34 pounds) of pure methamphetamine in his car.
The sheer scale of the methamphetamine operation was staggering, with Martinez intending to distribute the kilogram quantities to others. The discovery of the methamphetamine was just the beginning, as law enforcement executed a search warrant at a residence where DEA agents had observed Martinez departing with the drugs.
There, they found five containers of methamphetamine weighing approximately 8.5 kilograms (18.7 pounds), three firearms, and 38 rounds of ammunition. Martinez admitted in his plea agreement to knowingly possessing the firearms and ammunition.
Martinez’s criminal history is a long one, with felony convictions in Los Angeles Superior Court in 2014 for grand theft and possession of a firearm by a felon. As a result, Martinez is not legally permitted to possess firearms or ammunition.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this matter, with Assistant United States Attorney Amanda B. Elbogen of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section prosecuting the case.
Martinez’s sentence marks a significant blow to the methamphetamine trade in Riverside County. The operation was a complex web of dealers and distributors, with Martinez playing a key role at the center.
The case serves as a reminder of the dangers of methamphetamine and the importance of law enforcement’s role in keeping communities safe.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News