According to a federal criminal case, a California police union executive director used her office for drug distribution.
Joanne Marian Segovia (64), has been the executive director for the San Jose Police Officers Association since 2003. Segovia was arrested Wednesday for attempting to illegally import valeryl pentanyl from abroad. Segovia was apparently exposed in a Homeland Security investigation of an illegal drug network in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Federal officials have confirmed that Segovia was running an international operation to distribute fentanyl from her home and office. Segovia was accused in distributing illegal drugs across the country using computers she used at work and her personal computer.
Segovia was charged with sending a package to a North Carolina woman and using the UPS account of San Jose Police Officers Association to ship controlled substances.
Segovia received at least 61 drugs via mail between October 2015 and January 2023. These drugs came from China, India, Singapore, and China. Synthetic opioids were shipped from China, India, Singapore and Hungary. The drugs were described as “Wedding Party Favors,” “Gift Makeup,” or “Clock” in the labels.
In a press release, the Northern District of California U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that five of the shipments were intercepted by officials and that they contained thousands of controlled substances. This included Tramadol, Tapentadol, and other synthetic opioids. Some parcels contained thousands of pills of controlled substances, some of which were worth thousands of dollars.
Segovia is accused of using encrypted WhatsApp communications to coordinate and purchase the illegal drugs. Federal officials claim that the California police union’s executive director sent hundreds of WhatsApp messages to someone who was using a phone from India with a country code. WhatsApp messages purportedly contained photos of shipping labels and receipts.
Segovia wrote on May 2, 2022 that he was going on a business trip after 2 officers were shot. I should be back tomorrow night, so I’ll get them shopped as quickly as possible.
Segovia was allegedly still running her international drug operation despite being interrogated by federal investigators on February 20, 2023.
According to United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, and Homeland Security Investigations Special agent in Charge Tatum Kings, federal agents seize a shipment from China of valeryl pentanyl. It was sent to Segovia on March 14, 2023. Segovia claimed that her housekeeper was responsible for the shipment of valeryl Fentanyl.
Sean Pritchard, president of San Jose Police Officers Association, described Segovia to be the “grandma” of the POA.
Pritchard stated that Pritchard said, “This isn’t the person we have known,” and added, “This person has not worked with fallen officer’s families, or organized fundraisers for their kids — just different from who we’ve known over a ten-year period.”
Segovia could face a maximum sentence in prison of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Segovia will make her court debut on March 31.
