On January 18, 2011, a former guard for the federal jail in downtown San Diego was sentenced for attempting to purchase eleven ounces of cocaine from an undercover officer.
Matthew Gutierrez was sentenced to fifteen months in prison after being arrested for trying to buy cocaine from an informant in September 2010. The former guard pled guilty in November to attempt to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute.
According to media sources, Gutierrez met the informant in a Mission Valley parking lot on September 7th, 2010, where Gutierrez agreed to purchase four thousand dollars worth of cocaine. The confidential informant then tipped off federal agents which led to Gutierrez’s arrest. The court records show that Gutierrez told the informant that he had been allowing inmates to use his cell phone for personal calls and drug transactions. Following arrest, Gutierrez also admitted to bringing prescription drugs into the jail.
Under United States Code section 841 (a) (1), it is a federal offense to knowingly or intentionally possess with the intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, a controlled substance, such as cocaine. The punishment for a federal crime can often be harsher than a state sentence for the same crime. A federal conviction also means that the sentence must be served in a federal prison.
If you or a loved one is being charged with a federal crime, it is extremely important that you retain the advice of a competent and knowledgeable federal criminal defense attorney. The attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have over 30 years of federal criminal defense experience and know how to handle these serious federal criminal matters. Call 1-888-280-6839 to speak to one of Wallin & Klarich’s aggressive and experienced criminal defense attorneys in California today. Please visit us at www.wklaw.com. We will be there when you call.
