UNINCORPORATED MECCA – A man from Mecca is facing a possible lifetime of prison time for alleged methamphetamine trafficking. Leaving his agricultural home base – in the unincorporated Riverside County community on the North Shore of the Salton Sea, in eastern Coachella Valley – brought dire results.
Caught red-handed on September 18, 2021 with 500+ grams of methamphetamine – Jose Efren Beltran (32) was encountered in Madera County with the intent to distribute the dangerous narcotics. This case – the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fresno High Impact Investigation Team – is heading into the sentencing phase.
In the meantime, a federal grand jury in Fresno returned a one-count indictment on 07/14/2022 against the Mecca man, charging Beltran with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert of the Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Jean Berger is prosecuting the case.
Attorney Talbert noted the severity of the looming drug-trafficking conviction. “Beltran faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine.”
“Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court,” added Atty. Talbert, “after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.” Keep in mind that the charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
