SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Hector Manuel Mendoza, 32, of Sacramento, charging him with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and with being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, on Dec. 30, 2014, Mendoza possessed the methamphetamine and firearm in Sacramento County.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jill Thomas is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Mendoza faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine for the methamphetamine count and up to 10 years in prison for the firearm count. 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.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
