Vallejo Felon Guilty in Cocaine and Gun Case

A Vallejo felon is facing up to 30 years behind bars after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and cocaine trafficking.

Jacob Harding-Abeyta, 31, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm and to possession of cocaine for sale, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

A search of Harding-Abeyta’s residence on October 7, 2020, resulted in the discovery of a loaded .45-caliber Springfield XDS firearm in his bedroom. The firearm was found during a parole search, which also uncovered 39 grams of powder cocaine, a digital scale, plastic baggies, and other drug paraphernalia.

The search of Harding-Abeyta’s phone revealed that he was selling cocaine and other illicit substances. The 31-year-old Vallejo resident is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to a prior conviction in Solano County for attempted murder in 2014.

Harding-Abeyta also admitted to obstruction of justice by attempting to suborn perjury of a witness during a prior evidentiary hearing in the case. The defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearm charge and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million for the drug charge.

The case is the product of an investigation by the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Haddy Abouzeid, Jason Hitt, and Adrian T. Kinsella are prosecuting the case.

The U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) based on the core principles of fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.