Feds indict man for fentanyl possession and distribution

Grand jury levies two counts against Leobardo G. Anaya of Richmond

A federal grand jury on Thursday returned a twocount indictment against a Richmond man, charging him with distributing and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl in Solano and Stanislaus counties, said Phillip A. Talbert, acting U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of California, in a press statement.

According to court documents, Leobardo Gerardo Anaya, 28, of Richmond, on Aug. 26, 2020, sold approximately 100 counterfeit Oxycodone hydrochloride pills to a confidential source who was working with law enforcement.

The blue pills were stamped with “M30.” Subsequent testing revealed that these pills were laced with fentanyl, a Schedule 1 controlled substance, Talbert stated. On Jan. 13, law enforcement officers stopped Anaya’s vehicle in Stanislaus County for speeding. Approximately 2,000 more M30 pills, which also tested positive for fentanyl, were found in his vehicle, he said.

The case stems from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Highway Patrol, and the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron D. Pennekamp leads the prosecution.

If convicted of possession with intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl, Anaya faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million.

If convicted of distribution of fentanyl, Anaya faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million.