Vallejo Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm Possession and Drug Trafficking Charges

gavel and malletPhoto byKatrin Bolovtsova

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jacob Harding-Abeyta, 31, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of cocaine for sale, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert.

According to court documents, on Oct. 7, 2020, a parole search of Harding-Abeyta’s residence led to the discovery of a loaded .45-caliber Springfield XDS firearm in his bedroom. Due to a prior attempted murder conviction in 2014 in Solano County, Harding-Abeyta is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Officers also discovered 39 grams of powder cocaine, a digital scale, plastic baggies, and other drug paraphernalia.

Evidence from his phone revealed he was selling this and other cocaine. Harding-Abeyta also admitted in his plea agreement to obstruct justice by attempting to suborn perjury from a witness during a prior evidentiary hearing in this case.

This case results from an investigation conducted by the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Haddy Abouzeid, Jason Hitt, and Adrian T. Kinsella are prosecuting the case.

Harding-Abeyta is scheduled for sentencing by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Sept. 10, 2024. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearm charge and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million for the drug charge. The actual sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court, taking into account applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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