Tahoe Man Sentenced in Meth Case

A man tied to a multi-year drug investigation in the South Lake Tahoe area was sentenced Monday to 10 years in federal prison.

Fabian Gomez, 37, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Court documents show that between August 2020 and May 2022, Gomez worked with others to sell methamphetamine in and around South Lake Tahoe.

Authorities also say he sold methamphetamine and heroin on his own during that period. While most of the activity occurred locally, investigators found some of the drug supply came from Sacramento.

Gomez is one of several individuals prosecuted as part of Operation Bear Trap, a multi-agency effort launched in 2020 to target methamphetamine distribution in the area. Authorities charged him in 2022 along with six others.

Another defendant in the case, Epifanio Ramirez, was sentenced in January 2026 to 24.5 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of methamphetamine distribution.

During the investigation, authorities seized methamphetamine, heroin, and multiple firearms, including ghost pistols and assault rifles, which are untraceable firearms made without serial numbers.