Huntington Beach man and his son facing prison after meth convictions

A Huntington Beach man is half of a father-son duo facing prison sentences for drug trafficking, authorities said.

William Thomas Glarner III, 61, of Huntington Beach was found guilty this month of three charges related to methamphetamine distribution, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

His son William “Billy” Glarner IV, 34, of Irvine pleaded guilty Monday to one count of distribution of methamphetamine, court records show.

Both face a federal prison sentence ranging from 10 years to life, prosecutors said.

Attorneys for the defendants could not be reached for comment Monday.

Glarner III was arrested in March after investigators found he had deposited two packages containing a combined 121.4 grams of methamphetamine at a Los Alamitos post office and a Cypress FedEx location Jan. 19. The return address on both parcels was for Mainstay Nutrition in Long Beach, authorities said.

On March 14, law enforcement, acting on a warrant, searched Glarner’s car and found a duffel bag containing more than three pounds of a white substance that authorities said later tested positive as methamphetamine. The trunk contained “materials consistent with the packaging and distribution of narcotics,” including digital scales, used plastic wrap, unused plastic baggies and latex gloves, according to a probable cause statement in the criminal complaint against Glarner.

Glarner was arrested and indicted on two counts of attempted distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute the drug.

On June 6, a federal jury in Santa Ana convicted Glarner of all three counts, court records show.

The investigation of his son reached back to March 2018, when law enforcement officials were conducting an investigation of another narcotics trafficker, court documents said.

While acting on a search warrant in September, law enforcement seized 41.88 grams of heroin, 3.13 grams of methamphetamine and seven digital devices from the younger Glarner’s home, according to the probable cause statement in the complaint against him.

When authorities searched Glarner IV’s car and residence March 14, they found more than five pounds of methamphetamine, according to court papers. Prosecutors said he admitted that some of the meth was packaged to fulfill orders placed on the dark net.

In a plea agreement, Glarner IV said he used at least three names while operating on dark net browsers where he conducted more than 1,500 sales of controlled substances, prosecutors said.

Glarner III was identified as part of the investigation of his son’s dark net activity, the U.S. attorney’s office said.

Glarner III is scheduled in court for sentencing Sept. 9. Glarner IV is scheduled for sentencing Sept. 23.

Support our coverage by becoming a digital subscriber.