CONCORD — A federal and state investigation into a local drug trafficking has resulted in serious charges against three men who allegedly worked together to sell methamphetamine by the pound.
In two separate dockets, the Northern California U.S. Attorney’s office charged Fausto Montes, Edgar Flores and Aldo Alvarez with charges related to meth distribution. The charges are the result of an investigation involving confidential informants by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Concord police.
According to the criminal complaints, Montes, Flores and Alvarez were middleman meth dealers who acquired the drugs from an unnamed source. The DEA’s confidential source attempted to get a meeting with the methamphetamine supplier by ordering 10 pounds, but the unnamed supplier turned down the meeting.
In conversations with the DEA’s source, Montes referred to the group’s meth supplier only as “The Man,” according to the complaint.
The complaint says in January, authorities received a tip that Montes was running a drug trafficking organization in Concord. The DEA outfitted their informant with a wire and video recorder, and in February in April, sent him or her to buy drugs from the group. The deals reportedly took place in a convenience store parking lot on Oakmead Drive in Concord, and at an unnamed restaurant parking lot in Pleasant Hill.
After multiple deals that yielded roughly one pound of methamphetamine each, the confidential source tried to arrange with a meeting with the group’s supplier, using a 10-pound order as bait. The supplier turned down the meeting, but through Montes, began discussing a five-pound meth deal, according to the complaint.
The complaint against Montes and Flores is partially redacted. Prosecutors can move to redact certain parts of public court records when there are uncharged suspects who authorities suspect would destroy evidence if they were tipped off to a pending investigation.
All three defendants were charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and if convicted face a sentence of at least 10 years, with a maximum of life in federal prison.
