Source: United States Department of Justice News
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Christopher Matthew Rougeau, 38, of Vallejo, charging him with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, on April 20, 2022, Rougeau possessed methamphetamine, a pistol, and a short-barreled shotgun. Rougeau has been previously convicted in California state court of multiple firearm and drug offenses.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Marin County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Rougeau faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.