Santa Cruz Man Gets 11 Years for Drug Trafficking

A Santa Cruz man now faces 11 years in prison, after being sentenced in a federal court Monday.

Rudy Martinez, age 40, was sentenced to 140 months for trafficking in methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine.

He was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and the Santa Cruz Police Department.

Martinez was originally investigated after his involvement in a violent street fight in the Beach Flats neighborhood of Santa Cruz in July of 2012. When his home was searched law enforcement found meth, heroin and cocaine, along with scales and packaging materials.

More than $12,000 was also recovered.

Martinez was indicted in October 2012. Since his home was across the street from a city park, he was also charged with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a playground.

Martinez pleaded guilty in August.

He admitted at his sentencing on Monday that he was acting as a “middleman” for others who were actively distributing drugs in Santa Cruz and beyond.

Martinez has been in custody since his guilty plea in August. He immediately began serving out his sentence.