Jose Manuel Ontiveros Verdugo, a 39-year-old resident of Stockton, has entered a guilty plea for his involvement in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith made the announcement.
Court documents reveal that between July and December 2019, Verdugo collaborated with co-defendants and others to distribute methamphetamine across Stockton and the nation. An undercover source managed to purchase 11 pounds of methamphetamine and half a pound of heroin from this drug trafficking organization. Law enforcement intercepted shipments including 50 pounds of methamphetamine intended for Nebraska and another shipment weighing 21 pounds bound for Pennsylvania.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with support from several agencies, including the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Customs and Border Protection, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, San Joaquin County Probation, Stockton Police Department, and Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is handling the prosecution.
Charges are still pending against co-defendants Jorge Omar Arredondo Garcia from Lodi; Gregorio Ontiveros Verdugo from Morada; Alberto Navarro Zapata from Stockton; and Wilfredo Reyes from Manteca. "The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."
Verdugo's sentencing is set for June 16, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of life imprisonment along with a $10 million fine. The actual sentence will be determined by the court based on statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case falls under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which targets high-level criminal organizations threatening the United States through an intelligence-driven approach involving multiple agencies.