In a significant strike against drug trafficking, a Mexican national has been handed a lengthy prison sentence following his involvement in the distribution of methamphetamine. Dario Mata-Manzo, aged 33 and residing in Fresno, will face eight years and eight months behind bars. The sentence was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
According to court documents retrieved from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in June 2022, Mata-Manzo engaged in a deal orchestrating the sale of crystal meth at $1,200 per pound, delivering eventual eight pounds to undercover officers in Fresno. Involved with an interstate poly-drug trafficking ring, his activities came under the watchful eye of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Collaboration across various levels of law enforcement proved critical in the arrest and conviction of Mata-Manzo. The High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), which is a component of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) initiative involving multiple local and state agencies, played a key role in the operation that led to the sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Escobar, who is in charge of the case, has effectively prosecuted the matter, leveraging the inter-agency support to secure this conviction, according to the same press release.
The investigation into Mata-Manzo's activities was a part of the broader efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).
