NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A Lake County man arrested and indicted in 2013 for a marijuana trafficking case that also had involved him holding captive and having sex with a teenage girl – who he had kept in a metal box – was sentenced on Wednesday to 31 years in federal prison.

Ryan Alan Balletto was sentenced to 372 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and distribute marijuana; his possession of firearms in furtherance of narcotics trafficking; and his employment of a minor to violate drug laws, according to United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge San Francisco and Northern California Ryan Spradlin.

The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, senior United States District judge, in a hearing held in San Francisco.

Balletto, 36, of Lakeport, pleaded guilty to the charges on Dec. 7, 2018, officials said.

According to his plea agreement, Balletto admitted he worked with others to grow more than 1,300 plants of marijuana in 2013 in Lake County with the intention of selling the marijuana for profit.

In connection with the marijuana-growing operation, Balletto coerced a minor girl – then 15 years old – into working in the marijuana grow.

Balletto initially met the 15-year-old victim in Los Angeles, and offered to let her live with his family in Northern California. Instead, he drove her to his rural marijuana grow site in Lake County and coerced her into helping with marijuana cultivation.

In connection with this coercion, Balletto admitted to physically abusing the minor victim, including forcibly confining her in a small, metal tool chest for an extended period of time, restraining her and electrically shocking her, according to authorities.

Officials said Balletto also admitted to sexually abusing the minor victim by having nonconsensual sex with her while requiring her to work on the marijuana grow.

Balletto admitted to possessing numerous firearms, including two .223 caliber assault rifles, in furtherance of the marijuana-growing operation.

Balletto further admitted that, upon learning that the police were looking for the minor victim, a co-conspirator instructed her to call 911 and tell them that she was with friends and was “all right.”

A federal grand jury handed down an indictment on Aug. 1, 2013, charging Balletto with one count of each of conspiracy to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of marijuana; manufacturing marijuana; possession of firearms in furtherance of narcotics trafficking; and employment of a minor to violate drug laws.

Balletto pleaded guilty to all counts except the substantive distribution charge. Balletto has been in custody since his arrest in May 2013 and will begin serving his prison term immediately.

Also charged in the August 2013 indictment was Balletto’s co-defendant, Patrick Stephen Pearmain.

On Oct. 23, 2018, Pearmain pleaded guilty to employment of a minor to violate drug laws and conspiracy to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and distribute marijuana.

On April 19, 2019, Judge Breyer sentenced Pearmain, 30, to serve 150 months in prison for his role in the scheme, as Lake County News has reported.

The minor victim was rescued, and both men were arrested, as a result of the joint efforts of the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Department of Defense – Criminal Investigation Service, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, the Los Angeles Police Department and the West Sacramento Police Department.

“This case is an unfortunate example of how despicable criminals, like Balleto, will stop at nothing to cultivate an illegal harvest in the interest of gaining illicit profits while taking advantage of an innocent child to satisfy his perverse desires,” said Spradlin. “Homeland Security Investigations is the largest criminal investigative component of the Department of Homeland Security, and we are committed to rescuing victims of exploitation, while simultaneously conducting investigations to arrest the perpetrators, shutdown their illegal operations, and seek justice for their victims.”

The men were prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California with significant assistance from the Lake County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew L. McCarthy and Kevin J. Barry are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office.