75 pounds of meth found at Madera residence, DOJ says

MADERA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A 35-year-old Madera resident was indicted Thursday after officials say 75 pounds of methamphetamine and several thousand fentanyl pills were found during a probation search at his residence.

A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against Jose Tobias Jimenez-Martinez.

Jimenez-Martinez was born in Mexico but lives in Madera, the DOJ said he was on probation for a prior state felony conviction. On March 4, probation officers arrived at Jimenez’s residence in Madera to conduct a probation search, according to court documents.

During the search, the DOJ says officers found and seized several thousand fentanyl pills and more than 75 pounds of methamphetamine.

The DOJ said Jimenez-Martinez later admitted to transporting the methamphetamine from San Diego and was planning to distribute it in Reno, Nevada. The methamphetamine was individually packaged in several plastic bags.

If convicted, Jimenez-Martinez faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years 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.

The DOJ says charges are only allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.