An Oakland woman who operated a drug delivery service targeting students and young professionals in the Bay Area has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison. Natalie Marie Gonzalez, 31, received a 50-month sentence for her role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, as stated in a recent press release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of California.
Gonzalez, who led “The Shop,” an on-demand service selling a variety of drugs, accepted a plea deal admitting to her part in the offense following her indictment in October 2023 alongside three co-defendants. The business required a “$300 minimum for postal shipments and Bay Area delivery,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and utilized the encrypted messaging app Signal to take orders. To unsuspecting passersby, transactions appeared harmless, as an undercover agent was told by Gonzalez to “play with the pup outside the car to cover up a casual swap,” which was part of her efforts to blend the illicit dealings into everyday scenery.
The service, according to prosecutors, offered drugs through a menu and boasted various delivery options, reminiscent of legitimate food delivery services. While no charges were filed, the agents seized nearly one kilogram of fentanyl, around seven kilograms of cocaine, fake Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, and ketamine from a Menlo Park stash house used by The Shop. Furthermore, Gonzalez didn’t just trade in cash; her operation also took cryptocurrency payments for their illicit products, giving a technological edge to the age-old drug trade…