RON FREITAS
District Attorney
Office of the District Attorney
Protecting our community for 175 Years
Protecting our community for 175 Years
Ronald J. Freitas is the 42nd District Attorney to lead San Joaquin County’s chief law enforcement agency. This administration maintains a zero-tolerance approach to prosecuting criminals, working with local, state, and federal partners to create a safe and secure San Joaquin County for everyone.
"The mission of the District Attorney's Office is to bring justice and closure to victims of crime."
“True public safety requires a collaboration
between law enforcement and the community.” - Betsy Hodges
San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced the formal arraignment of Carla Lockhart and Fernando Reyes Valles following a large drug bust that uncovered dangerous amounts of fentanyl, other street drugs, and a loaded gun. The defendants appeared before Judge Guiliani in Department 8B of the San Joaquin County Superior Courthouse.
Lockhart and Valles face multiple felony charges for possessing illegal drugs for sale. The charges include extra penalties for carrying a firearm and for having more than 500 grams of fentanyl.
The case started when agents from the Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force (METRO) served a search warrant on July 16, 2026. During the search, officers found and took:
"Fentanyl is a poison in our neighborhoods, and we will not let drug dealers put our families in danger," said District Attorney Ron Freitas. "Six hundred grams of powdered fentanyl is a massive amount of deadly drugs taken off our streets. Thanks to the hard work of our METRO Task Force agents and our prosecution team, these individuals will face justice. We are going to keep going after anyone who tries to profit off selling these drugs in our community."
Judge Guiliani set bail at $310,000 for Lockhart and $290,000 for Valles. The judge also placed a 1275.1 hold on both defendants. This hold means they cannot post bail until a hearing proves that the bail money did not come from illegal drug sales.
The San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office wants to thank the Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force and local law enforcement partners for their great work on this case.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Jocelyn Weisbrich. Both defendants must return to court for another hearing on August 12, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in Department 8B.
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The goal of a Family Justice Center is to provide comprehensive and coordinated support to individuals and families affected by abuse, helping them to feel safe and supported as they navigate the process of seeking help and rebuilding their lives.
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