Santa Rosa man sentenced to 18 years in prison for possession of more than 73 pounds of methamphetamine

Defendant Jose Vegasanchez, 29 years old of Santa Rosa, was sentenced today by the Honorable Mark Urioste to 18 years in prison. Today’s sentencing follows Vegasanchez’s September convictions related to possession of more than 73 pounds of methamphetamine, as well as for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

In October of 2022, a Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department investigation led to a search of Vegasanchez’s home in Santa Rosa. During the search, deputies located 73 pounds of methamphetamine that was separated out and packaged in individual one-pound bags. Detectives located a Glock 9 mm semiautomatic handgun at the residence as well. The amount of methamphetamine taken by the Sheriff’s Department from Vegasanchez’s home corresponds with at least 165,000 individual doses of the drug. The street value of the seized methamphetamine was approximately $150,000.

Prior to proceeding to a preliminary hearing, Vegasanchez entered into a negotiated resolution of his case with the District Attorney’s Office. Per the terms of the agreement, Vegasanchez pled no-contest to two felony offenses, being a felon in possession of a firearm and transporting methamphetamine. With respect to the transportation of methamphetamine charge Vegasanchez also admitted an enhancement that he was in possession of more than 20 kilograms of the drug. In exchange for his no-contest pleas and his admission, Vegasanchez received a sentence of 18 years in prison at CDCR. Despite the length of Vegasanchez’s prison sentence, due to the passage of Proposition 57 in 2016, Vegasanchez is classified as a nonviolent offender and will therefore be eligible for parole consideration after serving only 3 years of his sentence. 

The investigation was headed by Detective Daniel Negri of the Sheriff’s Department. Deputy District Attorney Thomas Gotshall was the prosecutor assigned to the case in court.

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Contact Information
Media Coordinator, Carrie Trevena 
Media Spokesperson Assistant District Attorney Brian Staebell
Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California (707) 565-3098