Charles Billingsley Jr., a 55-year-old resident of Stockton, has been sentenced to 15 years and eight months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
Court documents state that Billingsley worked with other members of a Stockton-based drug trafficking organization between March and December 2019. During this period, he regularly obtained and distributed methamphetamine and heroin on behalf of the group.
On December 5, 2019, law enforcement officers searched two adjacent residences belonging to Billingsley in Stockton. Authorities seized over 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine, about 30 ounces of heroin, six ounces of cocaine, four loaded firearms, and more than $33,000 in cash. In addition to these items, agents found and eradicated 451 marijuana plants growing at one property and confiscated more than 52 pounds of processed marijuana.
The investigation involved several agencies: the Drug Enforcement Administration led the case with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, the California Highway Patrol, and the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer prosecuted the case.
“This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America,” stated officials in the release. “HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security.”
The statement continued: “Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).”
