A federal judge sentenced Elias Alvarez-Ramirez, 53, of Turlock to 19 years and seven months in prison for conspiracy to grow marijuana and distribute methamphetamine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

According to court records Alvarez-Ramirez was instrumental in growing more than 15,000 marijuana plants in Shasta County by buying equipment for the growers in 2009.

In that same year Alvarez-Ramirez brought a quarter pound of 100 percent methamphetamine and 3.5 pounds of 97.1 percent pure methamphetamine to an undercover agent.