California Methamphetamine Trafficker Receives More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Rotiha Chan, 38, of Stockton California, was sentenced on Friday, January 28, to 136 months in prison for Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 500 grams or more of a substance containing Methamphetamine and distribution of 50 grams or more of a substance containing Methamphetamine.  

According to court documents and other evidence presented in court, the United States Postal Service seized one pound of methamphetamine that Chan had sent to Rocky Run Road in New Bern from Stockton, California on December 2, 2019.  A second package was seized by law enforcement nine days later. This package contained another pound of methamphetamine and this time it was addressed to Harbourside Drive in New Bern.    

On March 3, 2020, an undercover ATF agent ordered methamphetamine from Chan. Several days later, ATF recieved two packages from Chan which contained approximately 400 grams of methamphetamine.  However, the undercover agent contacted Chan and claimed that the packages had been seized by law enforcement and ordered another pound of methamphetamine.  As a result, Chan sent two more packages which contained more than 400 grams of methamphetamine.

On April 3, 2020, DEA agents encountered Chan and two others at the Columbus, Ohio airport and seized more than $70,000.00. 

On April 15, 2020, ATF purchased another 800 grams of methamphetamine from Chan. Chan sent the methamphetamine in two packages to Eastern North Carolina. Chan was arrested on January 26, 2021, by ATF agents in Stockton, California,

The investigation uncovered that Chan was distributing kilograms amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana to New Jersey, Ohio, and North Carolina.

This is part of operation “Fighting Jelly Fish” which is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Craven County Sheriff’s Office, Kinston Police Department and the Homeland Security Investigations-Stockton, California investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:21-cr-00002-M.