United States Drug Enforcement Administration

FRESNO, Calif. - Luis Fernando De La Rocha-Carlon, 26, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge John J. Martin and Acting United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert jointly announced the plea.

According to court documents, on Oct. 9, 2014, De La Rocha-Carlon negotiated the sale of approximately seven kilograms of crystal methamphetamine for $84,000 then traveled to Fresno with his brother to meet with the buyer. When California Highway Patrol officers tried to stop De La Rocha-Carlon he fled, throwing the seven kilograms out of the window of his vehicle.  All the crystal methamphetamine was subsequently recovered. On Feb. 16, his brother and co-defendant Mauricio De La Rocha pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to over three years in prison on May 2, 2016.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.

De La Rocha-Carlon is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Dale A. Drozd on Aug. 29, 2016. De La Rocha-Carlon faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.