The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California has filed a federal criminal complaint against Joanne Marian Segovia, the longtime executive director of the San Jose Police Officers' Association (SJPOA), for her alleged involvement in a scheme to illegally import and distribute synthetic opioids throughout the United States.
The complaint, filed on March 27, accuses Segovia of using her personal and office computers to order thousands of opioid pills to her home and agreeing to distribute them across the country. This case highlights the corrupting effect of the War on Drugs, as even high-ranking members of law enforcement organizations are implicated in the illegal drug trade.
The complaint details at least 61 illegal drug shipments sent to Segovia's residence from Hong Kong, Hungary, India, and Singapore. Interestingly, these sources contradict the common narrative promoted by xenophobic kooks like Marjorie Taylor Greene that Mexico is the primary source of the fentanyl crisis in the U.S. Segovia allegedly concealed the true nature of the shipments by listing them as "Wedding Party Favors," "Gift Makeup," or "Chocolate and Sweets" on their manifests.
Officials intercepted and opened five shipments, discovering thousands of controlled substance pills, including synthetic opioids Tramadol and Tapentadol. The complaint also alleges Segovia's use of encrypted WhatsApp communications to plan the logistics for receiving and sending pill shipments.
Over a three-year period, Segovia allegedly exchanged hundreds of messages with an individual using a phone registered in India, discussing shipping and payment details for the pills, including images of tablets, shipping labels, packaging, payment receipts, and payment confirmations.
Despite being interviewed by federal investigators in February 2023, the complaint alleges that Segovia continued ordering controlled substances. She now faces charges of attempting to unlawfully import valeryl fentanyl and could face a maximum sentence of 20 years if convicted.
