SAN FRANCISCO — Vincente Cruz, 36, of San Francisco, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and illegal firearm possession. The hard time handed down by U.S. District Judge Edward M. Chen marks the end of a federal case built on weighty drug sales and a loaded weapon in the hands of a convicted felon.
Cruz pleaded guilty on November 15, 2017, to four counts: conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of meth, possession with intent to distribute, distribution of over 92.9 grams of meth-laced substance, and being a felon in possession of a .22 caliber Ruger pistol. His admissions laid bare a two-month crime spree in late 2016, during which he moved nearly a half-pound of meth across the city’s underground market.
On September 26, 2016, Cruz possessed and sold more than 55 grams of methamphetamine. Just a month later, on October 25, he was caught with both the Ruger pistol and additional meth he intended to sell. Because of a prior felony conviction, Cruz was barred from possessing any firearm. Two days later, on October 27, he dumped another 92.9 grams of meth into the illicit supply chain.
A federal grand jury indicted Cruz and co-defendant Etevati Levi on June 29, 2017, charging them both with meth conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute. Cruz faced additional counts for distribution and illegal gun possession. He admitted to all charges in a plea agreement, sealing his fate long before sentencing.
Levi, also tied to the drug ring, pleaded guilty on September 27, 2017, to the two counts against him. On December 13, 2017, Judge Chen sentenced Levi to 60 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Levi has been in federal custody since August 23, 2017, already burning time on his sentence.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Kreuzkamp, with assistance from Tong Zhang. The ATF, led by Special Agent in Charge Jill Snyder, investigated the operation as part of ‘Operation Cold Day’—a federal push to crush gun and drug networks using coordinated local and national resources. Cruz now begins his full 120-month sentence immediately, with five years of supervised release waiting on the other side.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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