The “Breaking Bad” grandma accused of running an international drug ring out of her San Jose, Calif., home appears to be cooperating with federal authorities, The Post has learned.
Legal sources told The Post the “wheels could already be in motion” as Joanne Segovia’s hearings in her federal case continue to get postponed — which they say typically indicates a deal being worked out.
Meanwhile, the 64-year old grandma appears to remain positive even with a possible 20-year prison sentence hanging over her head.
“She even told one of the neighbors the case had been dropped,” a source close to Segovia told The Post.
Segovia, who is out on bail and doesn’t have to wear an ankle monitor, hasn’t appeared in court since her initial appearance in March.
At that appearance she pleaded not guilty. Segovia has previously claimed the mastermind behind the drug operation was actually her housekeeper — a “family friend” who suffered from a substance abuse problem, according to a Homeland Security Investigations report.
Segovia’s case has since been continued more than five times, which usually signals “snitching” on others tied to the case, according to Los Shapiro, a legal analyst and federal criminal defense attorney.
“In federal cases, the only way a defendant could significantly reduce their sentence is by cooperating,” Shapiro told The Post. “This means having multiple meetings with prosecutors to discuss who you were in cooperation with.
“It could then take months to set up undercover stings [on the other criminals implicated], so in federal cases, that could be an average one to two years.”
Whether or not Segovia has agreed to cooperate with federal authorities will be kept under seal. It is also possible the delays in court have been caused by other factors which are entirely beyond her control, as no reasoning was listed on federal court dockets.
Segovia’s legal team did not return The Post’s request for comment.
Segovia — who was often referred to as the “grandma” of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association — allegedly used her home computer and her computer at the police union office to pay for shipments of controlled substances, including the sedative Zolpidem, painkillers Tapentadol and Tramadol and heavier substances including fentanyl, according to federal charging documents.
Segovia received at least 61 packages at her San Jose home from various countries — including China, Canada and India — between October 2015 and January 2023, according to the 13-page complaint.
The packages were reportedly disguised and marked as food supplements, wedding party favors, makeup, chocolates and other items to disguise the drugs, prosecutors said.
When she was arrested neighbors commented on Segovia’s apparent “Breaking Bad”-style double life, comparing her to the show’s chemistry-teacher-turned-drug-dealer Walter White. A friend of Segovia told The Post she was incredibly normal and unassuming.
“My gut is she just got caught up in something that she didn’t know about and for whatever reason, it spiraled out of control for her,” the pal said.
While her arrest made national news, the doting grandma has managed to maintain her normal life and has been seen happily attending her grandson’s little league games, running errands and taking court-approved vacations.
Court documents obtained by The Post showed Segovia asked permission from the court to leave her hometown of San Jose at the end of September and travel down to San Diego with her daughter and grandkids for a family vacation.
The judge signed off on the request after Segovia provided her itinerary for the trip.
“She goes on vacations! She comes in and out as she pleases. They [federal authorities] don’t seem to be very worried about her,” added the source.
This is the second vacation the alleged dealer has taken since she was arrested in March. She also went to Reno, Nevada, for a family reunion and a baby shower in June, after obtaining permission from the court.