SANFORD, Fla. – Jose’Luis Gabriel Villanueva, 32, of Sanford, has been sentenced to seven years and eight months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Villanueva’s illegal activities were first detected in January 2022 when law enforcement officials began monitoring his social media accounts, which displayed images of him with large sums of money and suspected narcotics, including promethazine and marijuana.
Following several months of surveillance, a search warrant was executed at Villanueva’s residence on August 17, 2023.
During the search, law enforcement discovered four firearms and ammunition, 19 bottles of promethazine, a bag of powder cocaine weighing approximately 103 grams, and $6,935 in cash. Villanueva’s prior felony convictions prohibited him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
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Villanueva pleaded guilty to the charges on May 31, 2024, and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger. In addition to his prison term, Villanueva was also ordered to forfeit the firearms and ammunition seized during the search.
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