Jamar Deontae Barnes, a 42-year-old Stockton resident, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to manufacturing and distributing pills laced with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.
Between 2015 and 2019, Barnes and his twin brother, Jamaine Dontae Barnes, operated a drug production and distribution network, producing counterfeit pills that appeared to be prescription medications. According to court documents, the pills contained a range of dangerous substances, including fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine. On May 16, 2019, law enforcement seized a pill press machine and drug-laced substances from Barnes’ Stockton residence.
Nine other individuals have also pleaded guilty in connection with the case. Sentences for those convicted range from 46 months to 15 years. Barnes’ twin brother, Jamaine, is set for sentencing in March 2025. Jamar Barnes himself faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for March 3, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd.
The case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative, which involves multiple agencies, including the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Stockton Police Department, working together to dismantle high-level criminal organizations.
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