Jose Miguel Perez, a 42-year-old resident of Corona, has pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine and heroin. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.
Court documents reveal that Perez was stopped by law enforcement officers while driving on Interstate 5 in Fresno County. During the stop, deputies discovered 56 kilograms of narcotics concealed within two hidden compartments in his vehicle. Specifically, seven kilograms of cocaine were found in the car's ceiling, while another compartment in the roof contained 37 kilograms of cocaine, 10 kilograms of heroin, and two kilograms of ketamine.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple.
Perez is scheduled for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on June 23, 2025. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years imprisonment and could receive a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The final sentence will be determined by the court after evaluating statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines.