Alma Garza, a 24-year-old woman from Fresno, was sentenced to six years and eight months in federal prison for her role in a drug trafficking operation. She was involved in distributing synthetic opioids and other drugs, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
In September 2024, Garza was convicted by a jury for her role in distributing fentanyl-laced pills, cocaine, and methamphetamine. She worked with Horacio Torrecillas Urias Jr., known as the M30 King of Fresno, and others to obtain and distribute drugs from Mexico. Law enforcement intercepted a package containing cocaine and methamphetamine meant for New Mexico on January 27, 2022, and seized thousands of fentanyl-laced pills during an operation on February 9, 2022, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The case against Garza, Torrecillas Urias, and 17 other defendants was the result of an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department, part of the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca led the prosecution. This case was part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, which began in July 2018 to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids and dismantle drug distribution networks. The operation involves multiple agencies and is active in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts. It is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces program, aiming to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
