Walter Garcia-Ruiz, 37, of Stockton, was sentenced on Tuesday to 12 years and seven months in prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez.
According to court documents, Garcia-Ruiz participated in the conspiracy between May 2019 and December 2020 with Jesus Horacio Ramirez Hernandez of El Monte; Fernando Aldama Tinoco, Geovany Espinoza Norzagaray, and Neftali Castillo Montes, all from Stockton. During the investigation, law enforcement found that Montes sold over 14 pounds of methamphetamine to an FBI confidential source. Surveillance and wiretaps identified Garcia-Ruiz, Norzagaray, Tinoco, and Hernandez as higher-level distributors within the operation. Garcia-Ruiz supplied at least 10.9 pounds of methamphetamine himself.
Authorities searched a storage unit controlled by Tinoco and seized 33 pounds of methamphetamine, seven pounds of cocaine, and two pounds of counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl.
The case was investigated by multiple agencies including the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Tracy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Montes received a five-year prison sentence on April 15, 2025 for his role in the conspiracy. Hernandez pleaded guilty on June 24, 2025; he is scheduled for sentencing on October 21, 2025 before Judge Mueller and faces up to life in prison along with a possible $10 million fine. The actual sentence will be determined based on statutory factors and federal guidelines.
Charges remain pending against co-defendants Tinoco and Espinoza who are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, both could also face up to life imprisonment and a $10 million fine; any sentence would be determined by the court after considering applicable statutory factors and federal guidelines.
“This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation,” according to officials. “OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.” More information about OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
