Bakersfield man pleads guilty to federal drug trafficking charges
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A Bakersfield man pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing various drugs — including fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, psilocybin and marijuana — for distribution, according to the United States Department of Justice.
On Aug. 10, 2023, officers executed a federal search warrant at a home in Bakersfield that served as a stash house, according to the U.S. Department of Justice in a release.
The home was being used as a shop to sell psychedelic drugs — psilocybin mushrooms — and marijuana.
Four people arrested in Taft on suspicion of drug sales: KCSO
Officers found Ramon Maldonado Jr., 33, of Bakersfield, in bed in one of the bedrooms. They seized several totes, bags and jars of psilocybin mushrooms, psilocybin and marijuana wax and edibles, marijuana, heroin and fentanyl in two rooms and the kitchen of the residence, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
The search also led to the discovery of a Ruger .22-caliber rifle with an inserted magazine, five semi-automatic pistol magazines and a 'brick' of fentanyl with a Louis Vuitton imprint, the release said.
In total, officers seized 5.5 pounds of fentanyl, 25.9 pounds of psilocybin, 23.4 pounds of marijuana, 20 ounces of heroin and 1.15 ounces of methamphetamine, according to the release.
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The Kern County Probation Office Gang Unit and Bakersfield Police Department assisted the investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.
Sentencing is set for Aug. 4. Maldonado faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison, along with a $10 million fine, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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