California man indicted for importing methamphetamine from Mexico following HSI Yuma case

YUMA, Ariz. — A federal grand jury indicted a California man last week for importation of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), assisted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

On March 14, David Daniel Gallegos, 21, of Pomona, California, allegedly applied for admission into the United States from Mexico via a vehicle lane at the San Luis Port of Entry in San Luis. CBP officers inspected his vehicle and discovered 103 packages hidden within the vehicle’s doors, rear quarter panel and center console. The packages weighed 104.47 pounds and contained a white substance that field-tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine.

Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and up to lifetime supervised release.

An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Assistant United States Attorney Joseph K. Nwoga of the District of Arizona, Yuma, is handling the prosecution.

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.