A Fresno woman has been convicted of trafficking narcotics, including fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. Alma Lucia Garza, 23, was found guilty by a federal jury for her role as an assistant to the M30 King of Fresno, Horacio Torrecillas Urias Jr., with whom she conspired to distribute tens of thousands of counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills, and significant quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine from sources in Mexico into California, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Garza's involvement included mailing narcotics to a co-defendant in New Mexico on January 27, however, the shipment was intercepted by law enforcement, and on February 9 she was caught in Sanger with Torrecillas Urias carrying pills laced with fentanyl and methamphetamine, these drugs were seized two days later when authorities executed a residential search warrant. Following a four-day trial that concluded on September 27, the jury rendered its verdict against Garza, with sentencing slated for January 6, 2025, she could face up to 20 years in prison.
As part of the widespread Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), Garza's case was one among many aiming to combat the distribution of synthetic opioids in affected communities; this initiative falls under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), described as an effort to dismantle high-level criminal organizations posing threats to the nation using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. With Garza's conviction, all defendants connected to this conspiracy have either pleaded guilty or have been convicted.
The case against Garza and her associates was vigorously prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca, the result of relentless investigations by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team comprising various agencies such as Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department, among others.
