Menifee man sentenced to 10 years for selling meth throughout North County

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A Riverside County man who sold methamphetamine to dozens of north San Diego County customers, with assistance from a supplier in Mexico, was sentenced Monday to 10 years in federal prison.

Orlando Balderas-Guerrero, 38, of Menifee, pleaded guilty in August to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine for the sales and distribution of the drug throughout North County over a one-year period between 2017 and 2018, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors said Balderas-Guerrero used a paging system to direct his couriers to customers, while also receiving pounds of methamphetamine on a monthly basis from his supplier in Mexico.

"Meth is certainly not a new problem, but we have new cause for concern given the recent spike in meth-related deaths and meth seizures," U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer said. "We will keep doing our part to hold dealers accountable and this is another step in that direction."