FRESNO, Calif. - Jose Garcia-Zamora, 30, of Modesto, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to eight years and four months in prison for illegally cultivating marijuana in the Stanislaus National Forest and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that offense, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in July 2019, law enforcement agents found a large marijuana grow that contained over 2,600 marijuana plants. At the grow site, agents encountered Garcia-Zamora. He had been tending to the marijuana and was carrying a loaded pistol. On April 1, 2022, Garcia-Zamora pleaded guilty to the charges.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.
Source: USAO - California, Eastern
