October 31, 2022 - FRESNO, Calif. — Isaiah Garcia, 20, of Fresno, was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiring to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between October and December of 2020, Isaiah Garcia conspired with his brother, who was incarcerated at the Fresno County Jail, to distribute fentanyl pills. The two used the jail’s telephones to discuss the plan. Investigators uncovered the plan and in December 2020, obtained a federal warrant to search Isaiah Garcia’s residence. In his bedroom, officers found over 1,000 fentanyl pills. Isaiah Garcia pleaded guilty on Aug. 8, 2022. On Oct. 11, 2022, Isaiah Garcia’s brother, Mario Garcia, was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison.

The case was the result of an investigation by FORT (a multi-agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department) and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.

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.

Source: DOJ Release  

Photo credit: DEA