An indictment has been unsealed against Jesus Magana Mellin, also known as "Compadre," a 34-year-old resident of Merced. He is charged with possession with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. This was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.
Court documents reveal that between October and November 2022, Magana Mellin allegedly conspired with others to traffic significant quantities of controlled substances within California and beyond. Following a joint investigation involving federal, state, and local authorities, search warrants were executed on two storage units linked to his drug trafficking operations. These searches uncovered 160 gallons of liquid methamphetamine, 158 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, 14 kilograms of heroin, 7 kilograms of cocaine, and 40 grams of fentanyl pills. Three associates—Vanessa Arauza, Pedro Duarte Sanchez, and Luis Higuera Lopez—have already been charged and convicted in connection with the case.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) along with the Merced Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET). Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is handling the prosecution.
If found guilty, Magana Mellin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison with a potential maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a $10 million fine. The final sentence will be determined by the court based on statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines which consider various elements. It is important to note that these charges are allegations; Magana Mellin is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
This case falls under an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation aimed at identifying and dismantling high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States through a coordinated multi-agency approach led by prosecutors.
Additionally, this case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an initiative designed to reduce the availability of deadly synthetic opioids in critical areas while identifying distribution networks both domestically and internationally. S.O.S., initiated by the Justice Department in July 2018, operates in the Eastern District of California among other federal districts.