The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California announced  that Jose Luis Medina Alvarado and Moises Rivera were sentenced on Wednesday for violations of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, and Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2.  Jose Luis Medina Alvarado received 240 months in prison, and Moises Rivera received 151 months in prison.  The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Breyer following a jury trial.

Mr. Medina Alvarado, 23, and Mr. Rivera, 21, both of Windsor, California, were indicted by a federal grand jury on a second superseding indictment on August 8, 2002.  They were each charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

Judge Breyer sentenced Medina Alvarado to 20 years in federal prison and a five year period of supervised release.  Judge Breyer sentenced Mr. Rivera to approximately 12 and a half years in prison and a five year period of supervised release.  The defendants are both in custody and have begun serving their sentences.

The prosecution was the result of an investigation by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Napa Special Investigations Bureau.  Christina Hua and Krystal Bowen are the Assistant U.S. Attorneys who prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Nancy Dick, Anne Marr and Lori Lucchetti. 

All press inquiries to the U.S. Attorney's Office should be directed to Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Jacobs at (415)436-7181.