Riverside County Man Sentenced to Five Years for Federal Firearm and Drug Charges After High-Speed Chase

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY –October 6, 2023

SAN DIEGO – Shane Glazer of Riverside County was sentenced in federal court today to 60 months for possessing a firearm in furtherance of his intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin.

According to the government’s sentencing papers, on June 10, 2022, San Diego police officers found the defendant in his car, slumped over and unconscious, with the keys in the ignition and the vehicle running.  Glazer was wearing a fanny pack. In the pack, officers found fentanyl and methamphetamine as well as $3,600.  In the car, officers also found an unserialized personally manufactured firearm, or “ghost gun,” loaded with ten rounds of ammunition, as well as a high-capacity magazine loaded with 29 rounds of ammunition. The defendant was released on bond pending trial.

Five weeks later, officers found Glazer again slumped over in the driver’s seat with the keys in the ignition and the vehicle running. This time, the defendant used his car to flee the scene. In his attempts to evade officers, Glazer ran a stop sign and two red lights, and then led officers on a vehicle pursuit that reached speeds of over 125 mph.  The defendant swerved in and out of traffic, at one point nearly missing another vehicle as he rapidly careened through traffic lanes and drove onto the freeway.  As the defendant attempted to enter the I-8 East freeway, he lost control of the vehicle, crashing into an embankment and eventually stopping at the I-8 median barrier.  He then threw a loaded gun onto the I-8 West freeway and ran across the lanes of traffic. Vehicles were forced to swerve around Glazer, who narrowly avoided being hit.  In addition to seizing the gun, officers searched Glazer’s vehicle and again found fentanyl, methamphetamine, and heroin, as well as $1,546 in cash.

“Drugs, guns and high-speed pursuits could have been a deadly combination,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “But for the intervention by the San Diego Police Department, this could have been a catastrophe.  Today, Mr. Glazer is being held accountable for his brazen disregard for the law.”

“ATF acknowledges individuals may lawfully possess, make and use privately made firearms under federal law, but those that use them in furtherance of drug trafficking will be held accountable,” said Chris Bombardiere, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge of Los Angeles Field Division. “ATF will continue to focus on the misuse of firearms to combat violent crime in our communities.”

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandor Callahan.

DEFENDANT                                   Case Number 22cr1972                   

Shane Glazer                                      Age: 30                                   Sun City, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime – Title 18 U.S.C. Section 924(c)(1)

Maximum penalty: Life in Prison

Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute – Title 21 U.S.C. Section 841(a)(1)

Maximum Penalty: Twenty Years in Prison

Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute – Title 21 U.S.C. Section 841(a)(1)

Maximum Penalty: Twenty Years in Prison

Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute – Title 21 U.S.C. Section 841(a)(1)

Maximum Penalty: Twenty Years in Prison

AGENCY

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.