Crime & Safety
Dealer Admits To Delivering Heroin Like Pizza Across The Valley
A drug dealer admitted to running Manny's Delivery Service, a heroin and cocaine delivery service in the Valley.
LOS ANGELES, CA — The supervisor of a pizza-style drug distribution ring that operated out of Van Nuys and used a fleet of cars and a staff of drivers to make rapid deliveries of heroin and cocaine pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal charge.
Adrian "Toro" Munoz-Garcia, 24, of Buena Park entered his plea to a single felony count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Munoz-Garcia faces a prison term between 10 years and life when sentenced Oct. 15 in downtown Los Angeles, prosecutors said.
Munoz-Garcia was among seven people arrested in December in connection with a 14-defendant indictment targeting "Manny's Delivery Service," which reportedly operated in the area for at least 10 years, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Find out what's happening in Northridge-Chatsworthfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Defense attorney James Blatt declined comment on his client's plea.
While the service sold small quantities to telephone customers, conspirators sold larger quantities to other dealers as part of a high-volume drug ring, court papers show.
Find out what's happening in Northridge-Chatsworthfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
During a two-month period that began in late August, members of the ring obtained multi-pound quantities of black-tar heroin from Mexico and moved hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, according to secretly recorded conversations outlined in the indictment. Bulk narcotics were stored in a stash house, and smaller quantities of drugs were packaged and dispatched to addicts from a Van Nuys facility.
Authorities seized about 14 pounds of heroin, more than a pound of cocaine and a significant amount of cash during the takedown last year, federal prosecutors said.
Prosecutors allege Sigifredo Gurrola Barrientos, 40, of Sylmar, who is awaiting trial, ran the operation and oversaw the movement of narcotics and money. As his second-in-command, Munoz-Garcia managed, supervised and disciplined the drivers, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
A status conference for defendants who have not pleaded guilty is scheduled for April 25.
City News Service; Photo: Shutterstock
