A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment today against four Central Valley men, including two from Turlock, on drug trafficking charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

The indictments against Donnell Mays, 39, of Turlock; Omar Lopez, 22, of Turlock; Raymond Slaton, 43, of Merced; and Sidney Allen, 48, of Merced all stem from an arrest that was made in May by the Merced Police Department.

According to court documents, on May 20, Mays and Lopez went to Allen’s residence in Merced where they delivered a half kilogram of cocaine to Allen and Slaton. Mays and Lopez then left the residence in a car in possession of another half kilogram of cocaine. As law enforcement officers attempted to stop Lopez’s car for a vehicle code violation, Lopez failed to yield. While Mays and Lopez were pursued by patrol units from the Merced Police Department, a bag containing the half kilogram of cocaine was thrown from their car. After a highspeed chase, Mays and Lopez were arrested.

If convicted, Slaton, Mays and Allen face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, and a $10 million fine. Lopez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the California Department of Justice, the Merced Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Merced Gang Task Force, and the Merced Narcotic Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez and Daniel Griffin are prosecuting the case.