SACRAMENTO, CALIF. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - California, Eastern), published as received.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment Thursday against four Sacramento residents charging them with multiple counts of distributing controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
Balentin Quintero, 27, was charged with one count of distribution of cocaine and four counts of distribution of fentanyl.
Francisco Chavez, 39, was charged with one count of distribution of cocaine, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and three counts of distribution of fentanyl.
Steven Ortega, 44, was charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.
Tavarius Montgomery, 41, was charged with two counts of distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents, between January and June 2026, Quintero, Chavez, Ortega, and Montgomery sold controlled substances to a confidential source and an undercover agent eight times.
On May 1, 2026, Chavez agreed to sell the undercover agent 1 ounce of fentanyl. After stating that they needed to meet a source to obtain the fentanyl, Chavez and the undercover agent met with Ortega, who provided the fentanyl. Chavez then sold the fentanyl to the undercover agent for $900.
On June 8, 2026, Quintero agreed to sell 3 ounces of fentanyl to a confidential source. When the source arrived, Chavez obtained fentanyl from Montgomery, delivered it to Quintero, and Quintero sold it to the confidential source for $3,300.
On July 14, 2026, Ortega was found to be in possession of multiple firearms. Ortega is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions in Sacramento County including convictions for distribution of controlled substances, being a felon in possession of a firearm, battery with serious bodily injury, and assault with a deadly weapon.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole M. Vanek is prosecuting the case.
If convicted of distribution of methamphetamine, Chavez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, and a fine up to $10 million. If convicted of distribution of fentanyl, Quintero, Chavez, and Montgomery face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million. If convicted of distribution of fentanyl, Ortega faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. If convicted of being a felon in possession of firearms, Ortega faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which account for numerous variables. The charges are only allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
