David L. Anderson, United States Attorney
www.justice.gov/usao-ndca
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
South Bay Resident Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Illegally Trafficking Guns and Drugs
SAN JOSE – Diego Alejandro Aguilar was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and selling firearms without a license, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Rayfield Roundtree. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Lucy H. Koh, U.S. District Judge.
Aguilar, 25, of Seaside, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charges on December 12, 2018. According to his plea agreement, Aguilar admitted that between February 2018 and May 2018, he knowingly sold methamphetamine and engaged in the business of selling firearms in Seaside. The plea agreement describes seven occasions on which Aguilar sold methamphetamine. For example, on February 22, 2018, Aguilar sold approximately 108.5 grams of methamphetamine for $1,200 and on May 2, 2018, Aguilar sold approximately 82.3 grams of methamphetamine for $1,000. During the same period, Aguilar also sold ammunition and two firearms—a .357 Ruger revolver and a Springfield Armory XD-9 9mm pistol. In sum, Aguilar admitted he sold more than 535 grams of methamphetamine and received more than $7,500 for the guns and drugs.
On June 21, 2018, a federal grand jury indicted Aguilar, charging him with seven counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), and one count of selling firearms without a license, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A). Aguilar pleaded guilty to one count of each crime. The remaining counts were dismissed.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Koh also sentenced Aguilar to serve three years of supervised release that will begin after his prison term has been served. Judge Koh ordered Aguilar to surrender by June 12, 2019, to begin serving his prison term.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Nedrow is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Susan Kreider. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF.
Further Information:
Case #: CR 18-CR-0275 LHK
A copy of this press release will be placed on the U.S. Attorney's Office's website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can.
Electronic court filings and further procedural and docket information are available at https://ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
Judges' calendars with schedules for upcoming court hearings can be viewed on the court's website at www.cand.uscourts.gov.
All press inquiries to the U.S. Attorney's Office should be directed to Abraham Simmons at (415) 436-7264 or by e-mail at Abraham.Simmons@usdoj.gov.
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