August 15, 2023 - FRESNO, CA — Two Fresno residents were sentenced on Monday for gun and drug charges that arose from a long-term investigation that uncovered evidence of a drug trafficking conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Maximiliano Wilfrido Rios Ruiz, 27, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Pedro Duran, 32, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.
According to court documents, between February and April 2020, on at least two occasions, Ruiz met with a supplier to obtain cocaine, which Ruiz and his co-conspirator intended to distribute. A search of Ruiz’s residence uncovered a firearm and additional amounts of cocaine.
According to court documents, in April 2020, Duran was identified as a large-scale narcotics trafficker. A search of Duran’s storage unit uncovered 33 pounds of methamphetamine, 3 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl pills, and over 3 pounds of marijuana. Duran’s residence also contained additional amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine, seven firearms, ammunition, and approximately $8,800 in cash.
These cases were the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Fresno County Sherriff’s Office, the Fresno Police Department, the Special Operations Unit of the California Department of Justice and the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin J. Gilio and Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Source: DOJ Release
Photo credit: DEA
