Arrest In Tehama And Glenn Counties Leads To Federal Cocaine Trafficking Charges
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today, charging Andres Guzman, 27, of Southern California, with possessing cocaine with intent to distribute, Acting Special Agent in Charge Bruce C. Balzano and United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, on August 1, 2013, a CHP patrol officer stopped Guzman near the Glenn and Tehama county lines after his vehicle was observed speeding on northbound Interstate 5. During the course of the traffic stop, a certified police canine handler walked his narcotics detection canine around the exterior of Guzman’s vehicle. The narcotics detection dog alerted on Guzman’s vehicle and indicated that narcotics were present inside the vehicle.
A subsequent search of Guzman’s vehicle revealed two hidden compartments in the back passenger area. CHP officers removed 30 cellophane wrapped packages, each filled with a white powdery substance. A presumptive test of the contents of one of the bags determined that it contained cocaine. The bags were weighed and the packages were determined to weigh approximately one kilogram each, for a total of approximately 30 kilograms.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Highway Patrol, the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. McCoy is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Guzman faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
