Julian Loeza, 33, of Ceres was sentenced Monday to more than 13 years in prison on drug charges for a crime he committed while still on supervised release for an earlier similar conviction.

Law enforcement agents learned that Loeza was involved in large-scale drug trafficking, according to the plea agreement, and cited a case on March 3, 2021, when he sold an individual 2 pounds of methamphetamine rendered into “ice” or crystal meth, which is more potent.

Loeza had been convicted of federal drug trafficking charges in 2016, for which he was sentenced to six years in prison. The new drug trafficking offense was committed while on federal supervised release from the earlier case. Loeza also was sentenced to 24 months in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release, to run concurrently with his sentence for the new offense.

Loeza did not act alone this time. Victor Ramirez, 37, of Atwater also was charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Like Loeza, Ramirez pleaded guilty to the charges and is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on Nov. 20.

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A team of local and federal law enforcement officers partnered in an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Loeza, Ramirez, and Esmerelda Ceja-Mendez, 43, of Ceres; and Sofia Cisneros-Noyola, 37, of Sacramento.

Ceja-Mendez and Cisneros-Noyola were also charged, but their cases have not gone to trial.