Turlock Man Charged with Possessing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute

 FRESNO, Calif. — On April 1, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Salvador Vega Rendon Jr., 28, of Turlock, charging him with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. The indictment was unsealed today.

According to court documents, on Nov. 29, 2020, in Stanislaus County, Rendon possessed over 500 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine and over 400 grams of a substance containing fentanyl with the intent to distribute it. Rendon also possessed four firearms, three of which were outfitted with devices that enabled them to function as fully automatic weapons, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Schuh is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Rendon faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.