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Sheriff's office announces that five suspects in major Kings County heroin bust plead guilty
Kings County Narcotic Task Force investigators arrested the five suspects on August 25, 2016, after nearly a year-long investigation regarding heroin trafficking in Kings County. This investigation resulted in the seizure of several pounds of heroin, approximately $30,000 cash, three firearms, and four vehicles.
Agencies involved in the year-long investigation included the Hanford, Lemoore, and Corcoran police departments, Kings County Probation Department, the Central Valley Department of Justice, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), and the Kings County Gang Task Force.
One of the suspects, Frank Reyes, pled guilty to heroin trafficking and crimes involving sexual intercourse with a minor. The crimes involving sexual intercourse with a minor surfaced after investigators discovered Reyes was having a sexual relationship with an under-age high school student in another city. Reyes was sentenced to 8 years and 4 months in state prison and he will be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
Robert Huerta pled guilty to heroin trafficking. He was sentenced to 6 years in the Kings County Jail, while Jose Flores pled guilty to heroin trafficking and was sentenced to 6 years in the Kings County Jail.
Edgar Lopez-Hernandez pled guilty to heroin trafficking. He was sentenced to 3 years in the Kings County Jail, and Ivan Valenzuela pled guilty to heroin trafficking. He was sentenced to 3 years in the Kings County Jail.
In a press conference last year, local law enforcement officials said it took a great deal of work to bring the suspects to justice. It took court orders, wiretapping, intense surveillance and undercover purchases to bring the suspects to justice.
Sheriff David Robinson held a press conference and explained that his department received a tip in October 2015 that suspect Robert Huerta of Hanford was a major source of heroin in Hanford and Kings County.
