Modesto men plead guilty in meth, heroin case. ‘Stash house’ held 20 pounds, feds say
Two Modesto residents pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.
Genaro Serrato Calles, 49, and Antonio Valencia Hernandez, 65, entered the pleas in U.S. District Court in Fresno.
A news release said Serrato and Valencia conspired with two Southern California men to distribute the drugs in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties over two years.
Serrato admitted to providing heroin to Valencia to distribute, the release said. He also had Valencia pick up about 11 pounds of meth from Jose Reyes Pineda, 48, of Anaheim, for distribution in Modesto, prosecutors said.
Serrato also arranged with Antonio Castellanos, 38, of Whittier, to store and repackage about 20 pounds of meth at a “stash house” in Modesto, the release said.
Serrato and Valencia are scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 8 by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd. The charge carries a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, along with a fine of up to $10 million.
Drug task forces for Stanislaus, San Joaquin and Orange counties worked the case with the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland Security and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 4:00 AM.
