Four people who were part of a drug trafficking operation that distributed large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine across the Eastern District of Pennsylvania have been sentenced to prison. The operation, which stretched from California to Pennsylvania, had a significant impact on various communities including Reading, Quakertown, Bensalem, and Plymouth Township.
Acting United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., recently announced the sentences given by United States District Court Judge Joshua D. Wolson. In January, Michael Sanchez, also known as “West Coast,” from Los Angeles, California, was identified as the mastermind behind the organization. He was sentenced to 14½ years in prison for his role in orchestrating the trafficking network, overseeing drug shipments, and managing its financial operations.
Aived Abel Garcia, also known as “Nephew,” aged 26 from Chula Vista, California, has been sentenced to 70 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Garcia was actively involved in the drug trade, regularly traveling between California and Pennsylvania to oversee the collection of drug shipments, manage payments, and deposit the organization’s earnings into their bank accounts.
Two other individuals, Miguel Aliaga, 37, also referred to as “Migz,” from Whitehall, Pennsylvania, and Avrian Haywood Mack, 22, known as “The Kid,” from Reading, Pennsylvania, have each been sentenced to 60 months in prison. These two individuals were actively involved in the distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine within Pennsylvania on behalf of the network.
“These defendants took part in a cross-country conspiracy that brought significant amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine from California to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Thayer. “This office and our law enforcement partners at every level will continue to investigate and prosecute such traffickers, as we work to take illegal drugs off the street and make our communities safer.”
Investigators have disclosed that the organization was sending narcotics through the mail from California to Pennsylvania. Once the shipments arrived, local members would retrieve them and distribute them further. Authorities have described the operation as having a significant and harmful impact on public safety.
The multi-agency effort that led to this case involved various organizations, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Additionally, California and Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies played a crucial role in this operation, highlighting the significance of collaboration in dismantling large-scale drug networks.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lizmar Bosques and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Gannon.