Placerville Felon Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy (DOJ)

Richard Clifton Turner, 62, of Placerville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 16 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, agents executed a federal search warrant at Turner's residence in Placerville. During the authorized search, agents located over 40 pounds of methamphetamine. Agents also located six firearms, including one previously reported as stolen. Turner is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has five prior felony convictions, including a conviction for vehicle theft and drug trafficking offenses.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.

This case was a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.