A Red Bluff man has been sentenced to over four years in federal prison for drug and firearm offenses. Austreberto Santamaria-Valencia, 29, received a sentence of four years and three months for his involvement in the possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The incident that led to Santamaria-Valencia's arrest unfolded on February 6, 2021, when law enforcement officers were called to a motel for a suspected overdose. They found Santamaria-Valencia, unconscious at the time, along with several indications of illegal activity. To address the situation, officers revived him before taking him into custody on an outstanding warrant. The subsequent search of his room and vehicle resulted in the seizure of 1,000 counterfeit M-30 oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, a loaded firearm, other drugs, and cash. The arrest was part of a wider initiative to reduce violent crime and gun violence in communities.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the investigation that led to Santamaria-Valencia's sentencing was a collaborative effort involving Homeland Security Investigations, the Red Bluff Police Department, and the Tehama County District Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly.
These efforts are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Guardian, aimed at reducing violent crime and enforcing firearms laws. Project Guardian improves coordination and information-sharing among law enforcement to tackle gun crimes. Santamaria-Valencia’s sentence supports these goals and the fight against illegal drugs and gun violence.
