Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Trafficking

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Orlando Torres Angulo, 29, of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distributing methamphetamine, and use of a cellphone in aid of racketeering, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. 

According to court documents, in February 2021, Torres Angulo conspired with other individuals in both Mexico and California to distribute methamphetamine in pound quantities.  Torres Angulo arranged for the delivery of 4 pounds of methamphetamine to a customer, who was in fact an undercover officer in Fresno. Torres Angulo later delivered another 2 pounds of methamphetamine to the undercover officer in Roseville. While discussing this deal, Torres Angulo told the undercover officer that he would set aside 15 pounds of methamphetamine if the undercover officer came to his place in Tulare.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT). Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case.

Torres Angulo is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on July 8, 2024. Torres Angulo faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison on the methamphetamine conspiracy and methamphetamine distribution counts and a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison for his use of a cellphone in aid of racketeering. The actual sentence, however, will 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 case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about OCDETF, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.