Repeat Human Trafficker Sentenced to 40 Years in State Prison

Published on June 01, 2026

Today, June 1, 2026, Samuel Packard, (43, of Fresno), was sentenced to 40 years in state prison for human trafficking and pimping following his conviction by a Fresno County jury last month.

The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Brian Alvarez of the Fresno County Superior Court following a jury's May 1 conviction of Packard. The jury found Packard guilty of all charges and further found true multiple aggravating factors, including that the victim was particularly vulnerable, that the crimes involved cruelty and violence, and that Packard's criminal history demonstrated he posed a serious danger to society.

The evidence presented at trial showed that the victim, a 19-year-old woman from out of state, became stranded in Northern California without a phone, money, or support. Packard approached the victim under the guise of helping her but instead exploited her vulnerable circumstances.

After taking the victim to a hotel in Oakland, Packard forced her into commercial sex acts. He later brought her to Fresno, where he continued to traffic and exploit her through physical violence, intimidation, and threats. After enduring months of abuse, the victim was eventually able to escape and contact law enforcement.

Evidence further showed that shortly before trial, Packard and his wife conspired to contact the victim in an effort to dissuade her from testifying. Packard is currently awaiting trial on separate charges related to witness dissuasion.

Packard's sentence follows a jury trial that began on April 16, 2026, and concluded with guilty verdicts on May 1, 2026.

At sentencing, the Court also considered Packard's extensive criminal history, which includes a 2015 conviction in Merced County for human trafficking of a minor, as well as convictions for robbery, evading a police officer, narcotics offenses, and failure to register as a sex offender.

"Human traffickers prey on vulnerability and use fear, violence, and manipulation to control their victims," said District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp. "This sentence holds a repeat offender accountable and reflects our commitment to protecting victims of exploitation and aggressively prosecuting those who profit from human trafficking."

The Fresno County District Attorney's Office thanks the Fresno Police Department and Detective Motter for their dedication and investigative work that led to this conviction.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Nicole Galstan of our Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium Unit (M.A.G.E.C.) and investigated by Senior District Attorney Investigator Bernardo Verbera of the Fresno County District Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigations.

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