Mother And Son Indicted For Possessing Approximately 49 Pounds Of Crystal Methamphetamine
FRESNO, Calif. - Patricia Gonzales Renteria, 39, and her son Steven Robert Renteria, 19, both of Cathedral City, Calif., were indicted today for possessing and conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, during April 2013, Steven Renteria began negotiating to sell 50 pounds of methamphetamine to a source in Fresno. On April 23, 2013, Patricia and Steven drove to Fresno to deliver the methamphetamine. After meeting with the source the following day, Patricia and Steven were taken into custody and approximately 49 pounds of crystal methamphetamine was seized from the interior and the trunk of their vehicle.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Methamphetamine Task Force which is made up of agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’(ICE) Homeland Security (HSI), California Highway Patrol, California Department of Justice, Fresno Police Department, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.
Patricia Renteria and Steven Renteria are scheduled to be arraigned on May 9, 2013. If convicted, they face a statutory penalty of 10 years to life in prison and $4 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory sentencing factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
