A 33-year-old man sentenced to federal prison for a meth trafficking deal has apologized in a letter, blaming his lifelong addiction to drugs as the root cause of his actions, according to The Mercury News. Ramiro Velasco Jr., an alleged South Bay Norteño gang member who managed to survive being shot in the spine years ago, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison and will be required to spend four years on supervised release after his term.
Velasco, also known as "Rome," pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was arrested in September 2021 during a significant federal law enforcement operation targeting the Norteño gang and its incarcerated leaders within the Nuestra Familia prison gang, as reported by The Mercury News. Prosecutors allege that Velasco and co-defendant Derek Brian Williams, also known as “Baby D,” arranged to sell two pounds of methamphetamine to a confidential informant for $3,200.
The Norteño gang has a long history of activities and violence in the Bay Area. In the past, the Norteños, a dominant gang in the area, have been involved in a series of violent activities, fueling a surge in killings in the city, according to a 2007 report in The Mercury News. The rivalry between Norteños and Sureños has resulted in numerous incidents throughout the years. In one incident last month, two armed Norteño gang members were arrested after a vehicle pursuit in Santa Rosa, leading to multiple charges, as noted by KRON4.
In his letter to the court, Velasco expressed his disappointment in himself, stating, "I am very disappointed in myself and I feel like an embarrassment not only to myself but to my family, my community, and all those who know me."
While acknowledging his long-time struggle with addiction, Velasco also wrote, "I’ve battled with addiction for a very long time but failed to recognize that I truly was one." Court records show that Velasco has a pending gun possession case in Santa Clara County and has previously served time in state prison for cocaine sales and gun possession.
