FRESNO (KMJ) — The former Deputy Chief of Fresno Police will spend four years behind bars, for conspiring to distribute heroin and marijuana. The sentencing came Monday afternoon inside Downtown Fresno’s Federal Courthouse.
“Foster abused his position of trust for his own financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip Talbert.
“Given that the abuse of methamphetamine, opioids, and other drugs causes such immense harm to our community, we will zealously prosecute those in such positions who put profit over duty.”
Federal prosecutors credit the assistance of the ATF and FBI for putting the case together, as well as the cooperation of Fresno Police.
“My office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute public corruption to the fullest extent of the law,” continued Talbert.
According to his attorney Marshall Hodgkins, Keith Foster was originally offered a plea deal of “around four years,” a similar length of time to the sentence he received. The maximum time he could have spent behind bars was 20 years.
Evidence presented at trial stated that, between July 19th 2014 and March 26th 2015, Keith Foster conspired with his nephew Iran Dennis “Denny” Foster to obtain marijuana from Ricky Reynolds of Shasta Lake. On one of these trips, Denny Foster was stopped by the CHP and arrested for possessing six pounds of marijuana. That arrest started the investigation which eventually led to Monday’s sentencing.
Six others pleaded guilty before trial to various related offenses: Randy Flowers was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison, Denny Foster was sentenced to a year and a half in prison, Rafael Guzman was sentenced to three years and four months in prison, Jennifer Donabedian served 12 months’ probation, and Sarah Ybarra served one year in prison.
In a statement, Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer described it as a “very painful chapter” in the history of Fresno Police.
“It is my hope that we are able to put this behind us, learn from it, and never to be repeated again.”
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
