Convicted San Francisco Civic Center Heroin Dealer Sentenced To Prison
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- An Oakland man arrested for selling heroin in San Francisco's Civic Center Plaza has been sentenced to five years in prison, federal prosecutors have announced.
Acting United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge John J. Martin said 32-year-old Marvin Gustavo Benegas-Castro was sentenced Tuesday to 62 months in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute heroin.
He had entered a guilty plea to the charges on January 23rd.
The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) began its investigation into Benegas-Castro, a Honduran national residing in Oakland, after seeing him selling heroin in San Francisco's Civic Center Plaza.
According to his plea agreement, Benegas Castro admitted that on August 31, 2017, he was arrested by SFPD officers for possessing with the intent to distribute illegal drugs.
Specifically, Benegas-Castro admitted he was carrying baggies and bindles of heroin weighing over 35 grams and an additional 15 baggies of methamphetamine weighing over 9 grams.
At Benegas-Castro's apartment, officers found baggies and bindles of heroin weighing over 471 grams, $3,572 in cash, a digital scale, plastic baggies, more methamphetamine and cocaine.
Benegas-Castro admitted on the day of his arrest, he knowingly possessed with the intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin.
On November 14, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted Benegas-Castro charging him with one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(i); and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).
As part of his deal with federal prosecutors, Benegas-Castro pleaded guilty to the second heroin charge; the remaining charges were dismissed.
In addition to the prison term, Benegas-Castro was ordered to serve a five-year period of supervised release. He is currently in custody and will begin serving his sentence immediately.
