BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A Bakersfield man, Ramon Maldonado Jr., 33, has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges after law enforcement seized a massive cache of drugs and firearms from a local stash house, the Department of Justice announced.
According to court documents, the search took place on August 10, 2023, when federal agents executed a warrant at a home in Bakersfield. The residence had been operating as a sales hub for psychedelic drugs and marijuana.
Inside the home, agents discovered:
5.5 pounds of fentanyl
25.9 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms
23.4 pounds of marijuana
20 ounces of heroin
1.15 ounces of methamphetamine
Additionally, officers recovered a Ruger .22 caliber rifle, multiple semi-automatic pistol magazines, and a stolen firearm in the drug sales area.
Maldonado was located in one of the bedrooms, where agents also found psilocybin, marijuana edibles, wax, and various packaging materials, indicating the intent to distribute the drugs. One kilogram brick of fentanyl even bore a Louis Vuitton imprint, a mark commonly used by traffickers for branding.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with support from the Kern County Probation Office Gang Unit and the Bakersfield Police Department.
Maldonado faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum of life, along with a $10 million fine. His sentencing is scheduled for August 4, 2025. The actual sentence will depend on statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
