Ryan Gines, a 44-year-old resident of Hanford, has been sentenced to 15 years and six months in prison for methamphetamine trafficking. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
The case stems from Operation Red Reaper, a coordinated effort launched in March 2019 involving federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies targeting the Nuestra Familia prison gang and the Norteño street gang in Kings County. Authorities found that Nuestra Familia was engaged in large-scale drug trafficking and various violent crimes. As a result of the operation, federal charges were filed against 21 individuals involved in drug trafficking activities, including Gines.
Wiretap evidence obtained in May 2019 revealed that Gines conspired with others to obtain and distribute more than five pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement used this information to stop a vehicle transporting the drugs shortly after midnight, where they recovered the narcotics during a search.
“This case was the product of an investigation by the Kings County Gang Task Force, Agents of the Special Operations Unit which is a team of agents from the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the FBI, the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, and the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office. The DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations all assisted with the takedown. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.”
The prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through partnerships between law enforcement agencies and communities. In May 2021, the Department of Justice introduced a new strategy to enhance PSN by focusing on community trust, supporting organizations that prevent violence before it occurs, prioritizing strategic enforcement actions, and evaluating outcomes.
Additionally, this investigation was conducted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. OCDETF employs a prosecutor-led approach that brings together multiple agencies to identify and dismantle major criminal organizations threatening public safety nationwide. More details about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
