FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Joshymar Estrada, 33, of Los Banos, charging him with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
On April 28, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a probation compliance check at Estrada’s home. While officers attempted to contact Estrada at the front door, he ran out of the back door and threw two canvas bags over his backyard fence. The bags contained more than a kilogram of cocaine, including approximately 380 bags of cocaine in various quantities packaged for distribution. Officers also seized additional cocaine, a number of unidentified pills, and a digital scale.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Los Banos Police Department, the Merced County Probation Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Massey is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Estrada faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 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.