FRESNO – Samuel Packard of Fresno has been sentenced to four decades in prison for the crime of human trafficking.
On June 1, 2026, Samuel Packard, 43, was sentenced to 40 years in state prison for human trafficking and pimping following his conviction by a Fresno County jury last month. The jury found Packard guilty of all charges and 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.
Packard’s criminal history, which was taken into consideration by the court, included 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 via announcement. “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 sentence was handed down by the Honorable Brian Alvarez of the Fresno County Superior Court. The jury trial began on April 16 of this year, and concluded with guilty verdicts two weeks later on May 1.
As reported by the Fresno County District Attorney’s office, 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.
In its announcement, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office gave thanks to 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 MultiAgency 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.