Full Notification

Modesto, Ca -

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) concluded a large-scale narcotics case involving the arrests of two Modesto area residents.  

On Tuesday, September 7, 2021, detectives wrapped up their investigation culminating in the service of two search warrants in Modesto.  Recovered from those warrants included some 224-pounds of methamphetamine with a street value exceeding $448,000.  Investigators currently approximate the street value of crystal methamphetamine to be roughly $2,000 per pound of finished product.  

Ricardo Ballardo, 33, and Juan Suarez, Jr., 28, were both taken into custody for three felony charges each.  Charges included possession of a controlled substance for sale, transporting, selling and controlling a prohibited substance, and attempted possession for sale of a controlled substance.  Investigators also seized an excess of $18,000 in cash which was believed to have been used in the commission of illicit drug sales.  

Attached are two images depicting the recovered methamphetamine.  Suarez and Ballardo are both currently being held at the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center in lieu of $5 million bail.  They will await their arraignments as the District Attorney’s Office reviews their case for filing.  

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.