A federal grand jury has indicted four Central Valley men, including two from Turlock, on federal drug trafficking charges.
Donnell Mays, 39, of Turlock; Omar Lopez, 22, of Turlock; Raymond Slaton, 43, of Merced; and Sidney Allen, 48, of Merced, were charged on June 25, announced United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner.
According to court documents, on May 20, Mays and Lopez went to Allen’s residence where they delivered a half kilogram of cocaine to Allen and Slaton. Mays and Lopez then allegedly left the residence in a car in possession of another half kilogram of cocaine.
Law enforcement attempted to stop Lopez’s car for a vehicle code violation, but Lopez failed to yield a pursuit ensued.
While Mays and Lopez were pursued by patrol units from the Merced Police Department, a bag containing the half kilogram of cocaine was allegedly thrown from their car. After a high‑speed chase, Mays and Lopez were arrested.
If convicted, Slaton, Mays, and Allen face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, and a $10,000,000 fine. Lopez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Department of Justice, the Merced Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Merced Gang Task Force, and the Merced Narcotic Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez and Daniel Griffin are prosecuting the case.
