"This case slowed the volume of dangerous fentanyl laced pills entering the Yuba/Sutter area"

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – Unites States Attorney McGregor Scott announced January 28^th, 2021 that a Federal Grand Jury has indicted 10 members of a drug trafficking ring with charges of fentanyl trafficking, conspiracy to distribute and more.

The indictments come after a joint investigation with the Yuba-Sutter Narcotic and Gang Enforcement Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) resulted in the arrest of the 10 suspects, one Jose Lopez-Zamora, 26, considered to be the U.S.-based leader of a drug trafficking organization responsible for importing tens of thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone (M-30) pills, cocaine, and methamphetamine into the U.S. from Mexico.

NET-5, a joint narcotics task force, Commander, Michael Johnson, says that in 2020, Net-5 became aware of a large amount of Fentanyl laced pills circulating in the Yuba/Sutter area. Their investigation into the illegal and dangerous drugs discovered the source to be the Sacramento area, by way of Mexico. Commander Johnson shares that NET-5 was asked to join a DEA investigation already in progress, in which they assisted in providing local surveillance, intelligence and the service of search and arrest warrants. Commander Johnson says, “Even though the main suspects were from out of this area, their product was finding its way into our communities. Ultimately, this case slowed the volume of dangerous fentanyl laced pills entering the Yuba/Sutter area and broke up a large illegal pill and distribution network in the North State.”

Jose Lopez-Zamora, 26; Leonardo Flores Beltran, 29; Christian Anthony Romero, 25; Joaquin Sotelo Valdez, 24; Sandro Escobedo, 32; Erika Zamora Rojo, 45; and Alejandro Tello, 22; all of Sacramento and Jason lee, 48, of Sparks, Nevada and Rudi Flores, 27 of Manteca have been charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine as well as either fentanyl distribution or possession with intent to distribute. Jose Aguilar Saucedo, 22 of Sacramento, is charged with three counts of fentanyl distribution. If convicted, Aguilar Saucedo faces up to 40 years in prison, the rest of the defendants face maximum sentences.

Law enforcement reportedly seized over 20,000 pills during the investigation and wiretapped calls appear to show that the suspects were aware that their product had been responsible for multiple overdoses and deaths in the area.

Contributing agencies to this investigation include the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshalls Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Yuba-Sutter Narcotics and Gang Enforcement Task Force (NET-5), California Highway Patrol, the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force (BINTF), the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT) the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, the Sacramento Police Department, the Roseville Police Department, the Manteca Police Department, the Yuba City Police Department, and the West Sacramento Police Department. U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting.