On November 7, 2013, a federal grand jury indicted three Fresno area men suspected of running a meth lab.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Manuel Maciel, 28, was stopped in Kern County while driving to Fresno with more than 48 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a false compartment of his vehicle.
Juan Marcos Prado-Sandoval, 34, was also stopped in Kern County while allegedly transporting more than six pounds of methamphetamine to Fresno. Agents later raided a home in Fresno in which they found 42 pounds of methamphetamine, 12 gallons of methamphetamine in solution, four firearms, and more than 5,000 rounds of ammunition. They arrested Orlando Delfin-Lara, 21.
"This is an example of local, state and federal law enforcement officers working together in a task force to combat illegal drug making and trafficking, " said Alan Barcelona, president of the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA). "Methamphetamine use contributes to the violence and crime in our communities. Fortunately the Fresno Methamphetamine Task Force was able to shut down this particular lab."
All three suspects were indicted on four counts and face 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million dollar fine.