Riverside Meth Kingpin Sentenced to 21 Years

Riverside Meth Kingpin Sentenced to 21 Years

A Riverside County man has been sentenced to 252 months in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking operation that brought pounds of the deadly drug from Mexico into the Inland Empire.

Timoteo Gomez, 51, of Riverside, pleaded guilty in January 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Gomez was sentenced by United States District Judge Jesus G. Bernal.

From April 2020 until August 2020, Gomez and others purchased methamphetamine from suppliers in Mexico, Los Angeles, and Riverside counties. They further distributed the methamphetamine in the Inland Empire.

In April 2020, Gomez and others smuggled 46.6 pounds (21.2 kilograms) of methamphetamine from Mexico across the U.S. port of entry at Calexico and into Riverside County. In May 2020, another co-conspirator attempted to drive a load of 90.4 pounds (41 kilograms) of methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico through the San Ysidro port of entry.

Law enforcement seized more than 150 pounds (68 kilograms) of methamphetamine and $31,035 in cash during the investigation.

Federal prosecutors have secured 16 convictions so far in this case. The FBI’s Inland Empire Safe Streets Task Force investigated this matter, receiving assistance from various federal and state agencies.

The investigation focused on the criminal activities of the Riverside-based Casa Blanca Rifa criminal street gang, aimed at combating drug trafficking and associated violence in the community.

Assistant United States Attorney Eli A. Alcaraz of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section prosecuted this case.