Felix Ortiz-Plata, 44, and Anuar Castaneda Ortiz, 29, both Mexican nationals living in California, have pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges following the seizure of over 260 pounds of methamphetamine. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
Court documents state that on December 5, 2022, law enforcement stopped Castaneda Ortiz’s vehicle. Officers found more than 260 pounds of crystal methamphetamine packed in 90 plastic bags located on the backseat and in the trunk.
On August 8, 2025, Ortiz-Plata admitted guilt to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine for his role in the case. On August 18, Castaneda Ortiz pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The investigation involved several agencies: the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Forest Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Land Management and California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt is handling prosecution.
Ortiz-Plata will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena C. Coggins on November 21, 2025; Castaneda Ortiz will be sentenced on December 19, 2025. Both face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a $10 million fine; there is also a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison for each defendant. Sentencing decisions will be made at the court’s discretion based on statutory factors and federal guidelines that consider various circumstances.
