January 31, 2023 - SAN FRANCISCO – Ernesto Madrigal, a/k/a Tiger, a/k/a Tigre, was sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison for his part in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge James Donato.

Madrigal, 28, formerly of Alameda County, pleaded guilty to the charge on May 9, 2022. According to his plea agreement, Madrigal admitted that in early March of 2020, he offered to sell a pound of methamphetamine to a person he believed to be a customer. Madrigal used his telephone and text messages to arrange for the transaction. Specifically, on March 5, 2020, Madrigal sent a text message to the informant with information regarding a meeting for the transaction. Further, prior to the transaction, Madrigal provided the informant with the phone number of another individual who Madrigal said would be delivering the drugs on his behalf. Madrigal also told the informant over the phone that the courier would arrive at a prearranged location in Emeryville, Calif. on March 6, 2020. Madrigal told the informant that the courier would arrive with five pounds of methamphetamine and that he would separate out one pound of the drugs for the sale. The informant and an undercover officer met with the courier on March 6, 2020. The courier provided over 1,350 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine in exchange for $1,250. 

In addition to the sale of the drugs on March 6, 2020, Madrigal also acknowledged that he asked the informant whether he was interested in purchasing counterfeit pills for sale and offered to provide the informant with 10 pounds of methamphetamine so that the informant could sell the drugs and provide a portion of the proceeds to Madrigal. On April 24, 2020, Madrigal arranged another sale with the informant for 250 counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl. 

A federal grand jury indicted Madrigal on April 29, 2021, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). Madrigal pleaded guilty to the charge. 

In addition to the prison term, Judge Donato ordered Madrigal to serve three years of supervised release following his release from prison. Madrigal was in custody at his sentencing hearing and will begin serving his sentence immediately.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Joseph Tartakovsky prosecuted the case, with the assistance of Linda Love. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by DEA.

This investigation and prosecution are part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Source: DOJ Release