Home Man responsible for distributing pure meth in Richmond area sentenced to 21 years
Public Safety, Virginia

Man responsible for distributing pure meth in Richmond area sentenced to 21 years

Crystal Graham
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A man responsible for distributing pure methamphetamine in Virginia was sentenced Friday to 21 years and 10 months in prison.

Rodolfo Villanueva, 30, of California, also had an apartment in Richmond.

According to court documents, from Sept. 21, 2022, to Feb. 13, 2023, Drug Enforcement Administration agents and task force agents used a confidential source to make multiple purchases of meth from Villanueva.

Each time, Villanueva sent a courier to meet the source. The courier would provide the meth from Villanueva to the source and collect from the source money owed to Villanueva for previously supplied meth.

Villanueva was found to have supplied more than 5 kilograms of nearly pure methamphetamine.

Following a purchase on Feb. 13, 2023, agents took Villanueva into custody and recovered the money from the transaction.

A search of Villanueva’s Richmond apartment resulted in the recovery of 8.9 kilograms of fentanyl and 8.8 kilograms of cocaine.

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for nearly 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.