A California police union executive director allegedly ran a drug ring from her home and used her office computer and UPS account to order and distribute opioids and other drugs, federal officials charge.
Joanne Marian Segovia, who has worked for the San Jose Police Officers Association since 2003, was charged on Wednesday with attempting to unlawfully import a synthetic opioid called Valeryl fentanyl.
She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if convicted, authorities said.
Police union president Sean Pritchard was shocked by the charges, telling NBC Bay Area, “She’s been the grandma of the POA.”
“This is not the person we’ve known, the person who has worked with fallen officers’ families, organized fundraisers for officers’ kids — just not who we’ve known over a decade.”
According to the 13-page complaint, the 64-year-old allegedly received at least 61 packages at her San Jose home from various countries — including China, Canada and India — between October 2015 and January 2023.
The packages reportedly were marked as food supplements, wedding party favors, makeup, chocolates and other items to disguise the drugs, prosecutors said.
The packages instead contained various drugs, including deadly synthetic opioids and Tapentadol, which is normally used to treat severe pain from nerve damage caused by diabetes.
Prosecutors also allege Segovia exchanged messages on WhatsApp between January 2020 and March 2023 with someone who was using a country code from India.
In one message sent on May 2, 2022, Segovia allegedly wrote, “I’m so sorry, I’m on a business trip because we had 2 officers that got shot! I should be home tomorrow night so ill get them shopped as soon as I can.”
According to the complaint, Segovia took a photo of a shipment she sent to a woman in North Carolina and used the San Jose Police Officers’ Association UPS account.
Homeland Security agents learned of Segovia’s operation while investigating a network in India known to ship drugs into the US.
Investigators found messages from the network that mentioned “J Segovia” with an address in San Jose and the words, “180 pills SOMA 500mg,” according to the complaint.
Although she worked for the police union before being suspended, it is not thought Segovia had a history in front-line law enforcement.
The worker allegedly continued to order the drugs even after she was interviewed by federal agents in February 2023.
Segovia was arrested on March 13 after investigators seized a parcel in Kentucky that was addressed to her.
The package was marked as containing a “clock” and came from China, authorities said.
“This is an incredibly disturbing allegation,” San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said in a statement to San Francisco television station KRON.
“I want to thank US Attorney [Ismail] Ramsey and his colleagues for aggressively pursuing the sources of fentanyl coming into our communities and holding drug dealers accountable.”