Salvador Padilla III, Methamphetamine Distribution, California 2019

A Sacramento man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine.

Salvador Padilla III, 39, of Sacramento, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

On May 23, 2019, Padilla pleaded guilty to the charges. According to court documents, in October 2017, an investigation began into a Sacramento-area methamphetamine dealer based on reports that the dealer was distributing pound-level quantities of methamphetamine locally.

In December 2017, an undercover purchase of one-pound methamphetamine was arranged from the dealer. Just before the purchase took place, Padilla left his home and drove to the dealer's home, where he gave the dealer over a pound of methamphetamine, which the dealer then sold to the undercover agent.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with special assistance from Homeland Security Investigations.

In May 2019, co-defendants Eberardo Mendez and Jose Romero, both of Sacramento, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Mendez and Romero will be sentenced in September and October 2019, respectively. They each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.

The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Salvador Padilla III was charged with distributing methamphetamine. The investigation into the Sacramento-area methamphetamine dealer began in October 2017. The defendant pleaded guilty on May 23, 2019.

The case is a result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations. Co-defendants Eberardo Mendez and Jose Romero pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in May 2019.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr/sacramento-man-sentenced-10-years-prison-distributing-methamphetamine