Methamphetamine - Credit: DEA
March 17, 2023 - FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment Thursday against Reyes Quinonez Jr., 42, of Clovis, charging him with possessing over 50 grams of methamphetamine and over 40 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute those controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, in February 2023, Quinonez was on parole for a prior felony offense. Law enforcement officers conducted parole-compliance searches of Quinonez, his residence, and a car. They found a firearm, ammunition, over a pound of methamphetamine, and over half a pound of fentanyl.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Quinonez faces a statutory penalty of between five and 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Source: DOJ Release
