Stanislaus County Man Sentenced to over 19 Years in Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine

FRESNO, Calif. - Andrew Satariano, 43, of Modesto, was sentenced today to 19 years and seven months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Sept. 4, 2021, police tried to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle Satariano was driving. Satariano stopped briefly, let a female out of the car, and then took off at a high rate of speed reaching speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. Satariano collided with several vehicles and the vehicle was disabled. Satariano fled from the car and hid nearby, after which police found and arrested him. Satariano had two loaded handguns, one of which was stolen and had a high-capacity magazine attached. He also had over 850 grams of pure methamphetamine that he was selling. Satariano's sentence was affected by his extensive criminal history starting in 2001, which included prior convictions for evading police.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office; the Stanislaus County Probation Department; and the Modesto Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Sanchez prosecuted the case.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office; the Stanislaus County Probation Department; and the Modesto Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Sanchez prosecuted the case.

This case is 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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.