Bay Area drug traffickers voice concern over ‘contributing to addictions’ while selling thousands of meth-laced Adderall pills, feds say

Undercover operation led to drug bust

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Prosecutors claim that while they were allegedly running an illegal drug business with the structure, efficiency, and punctuality typically associated with legitimate corporations, a group of Bay Area residents expressed concerns about spreading addiction by selling pills to the wrong people.

“Who is your primary clientele?” Natalie Marie Gonzalez is accused of questioning an undercover federal agent who was attempting to buy methamphetamine-laced Adderall. “We serve a lot of students and young professionals, who use them for work, but I’m curious what you’re (sic) understanding of the use for your clients.”

The agent allegedly responded by texting that the pills were being distributed to “college kids/my post-grad friends.”

“Thank you for sharing, I more just want to make sure that we are sharing responsibility rather than contributing to addictions that are damaging people,” Gonzalez was quoted as saying. According to prosecutors, she then arranged for the agent to receive 1,000 counterfeit pills.

According to court records, Gonzalez, Matthew Sestak, Frederick Gaestel, and Rory Ricky are now facing federal methamphetamine distribution charges. Prosecutors claim the group ran a strict orderly drug distribution network out of the San Mateo area, requiring customers to spend a minimum of $300 and reserving deliveries to the San Francisco side of the Bay Area for Wednesdays and the East Bay for Thursdays.

According to authorities, the Drug Enforcement Administration infiltrated the group in March when an undercover agent used a confidential informant to set up a group chat with Sestak on the encrypted messaging app Signal. The informant is an unidentified individual whose residence was raided in March 2023. To avoid charges, they agreed to introduce the DEA to “The Shop,” a large distribution ring, according to court records.

The agent began ordering thousands of counterfeit Adderall pills and eventually began speaking directly with Gonzalez, whom Sestak allegedly referred to as “the girl who makes the call,” according to the criminal complaint.

When the agent asked for a “full menu,” someone brought over a document with drug prices. According to the complaint, at the bottom were the words “WE’RE HIRING” and “we need more delivery drivers.”

Throughout 2023, drug deals were made in Hayward, East Palo Alto, and San Leandro. Authorities decided they had enough evidence and turned the case over to the US Attorney’s Office, which filed the charges in September. The four were then charged with conspiracy and methamphetamine distribution by a grand jury on October 5.