United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against Luis Hernandez-Guzman, 26, and Fernanda Jasmin Ayala-Zamora, 22, both of Bakersfield, charging them with conspiring to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, as well as possession with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott And Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux announced.

According to court documents, an officer from the California Highway Patrol stopped a car going northbound on Interstate 5 in Siskiyou County for following too closely behind a semi‑truck. Interviews at the scene with both the driver, Hernandez-Guzman, and the passenger, Ayala-Zamora, uncovered inconsistencies in their respective stories regarding their destination and the purpose of their journey. At the officers’ request, both individuals consented to a search of the vehicle. After noticing that carpeting in the passenger foot well of the car did not match factory standard construction, officers pulled back the carpet to reveal a hidden compartment. The compartment contained approximately 11 kilograms of methamphetamine. Officers also found 1 kilogram of heroin under the passenger seat.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Highway Patrol and the Siskiyou Unified Major Investigation Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, both defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a fine up to $10 million. 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 defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.