A San Fernando Valley man was sentenced Friday to a dozen years behind bars for selling about 17 pounds of methamphetamine and 89 firearms, including dozens of ghost guns, or firearms that lack serial numbers.
Julio Ernesto Lopez-Menendez, 27, of Reseda, was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after his prison term, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Lopez-Menendez pleaded guilty in February to one count each of distribution of methamphetamine and engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license.
He has been in federal custody since his arrest last year.
According to his plea agreement, from January 2022 to April 2022, Lopez-Menendez engaged in transactions in which large numbers of firearms and pound quantities of methamphetamine were sold. Many of the firearms sold were so-called ghost guns.
In one deal, Lopez-Menendez sold the buyer a dozen firearms, including 10 semi-automatic ghost gun pistols. In another transaction, Lopez-Menendez sold the same buyer nearly one pound of methamphetamine and 14 firearms, including nine semiautomatic ghost gun pistols, for $15,000.
During the final two drug deals, Lopez-Menendez sold the buyer about 9.2 pounds and 4.8 pounds of methamphetamine, according to the plea deal filed in Los Angeles federal court.
In total, Lopez-Menendez admitted to selling about 17 pounds of methamphetamine and 89 firearms -- including 53 ghost guns.
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