FRESNO, Calif. — Andres Nunez, 25, of Fresno, pleaded guilty today to distributing fentanyl to a person under 21 years old and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in February 2021, Nunez delivered counterfeit M30 pills, laced with fentanyl, to a juvenile. A search warrant was later executed at Nunez’s residence. During the search, law enforcement officers found several firearms, including an automatic handgun, as well as 4 pounds of marijuana that Nunez possessed with intent to distribute.
This case is the product of an investigation by FORT, a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
Nunez is set for sentencing on Jan. 31, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Nunez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of six years in prison, up to a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a fine up to $2 million. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers. In July 2018, the Justice Department announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the Eastern District of California and nine other federal districts.