A Sacramento resident has been sentenced to over 19 years in prison for his role in a fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking operation in the city.
According to court documents, Michael Valentino Lovato, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 19 years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as distribution of methamphetamine.
The charges stem from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department.
According to court documents, Lovato was previously convicted of drug trafficking and continued to engage in a conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and over 500 grams of methamphetamine in Sacramento in April 2022.
During the conspiracy, Lovato sold fentanyl pills to an undercover source on multiple occasions and also sold methamphetamine to the source.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew De Moura prosecuted the case.
Charges are pending against co-defendant Gilbert Ramirez, of Sacramento, who is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence.
The case is also part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location.
Defendant: Michael Valentino Lovato
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine
City and State: Sacramento, California
Date: April 2022
Sentence: 19 years and 10 months in prison
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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