May 13, 2024 - FRESNO, Calif. — Alden Nunez-Rosales, 27, of Fresno, was sentenced today to 121 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on April 26, 2023, Nunez-Rosales delivered 5,000 fentanyl pills to a person that he believed was a customer but was actually a government informant. Law enforcement officers then followed Nunez-Rosales back to his residence, where Nunez-Rosales obtained 45,000 more fentanyl pills that he intended to distribute. Minutes later, police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Nunez-Rosales’s car, but he sped off, eventually crashed his car into a tree, and then fled on foot. Officers apprehended him and then searched his residence under a warrant. In total, officers seized over 12 kilograms of fentanyl pills as well as a firearm, ammunition, a scale, and over $3,500 in cash. Nunez-Rosales was charged and pled guilty to the offense in February 2024.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant United States 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