August 24, 2025 – Manuel Cisneros, 48, of Fresno, appears for arraignment on Thursday after a federal grand jury indictment charged him 
with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and being a felon in possession of ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on February 20, 2025, Cisneros possessed fentanyl, methamphetamine, and several rounds of .40-caliber ammunition. Cisneros is prohibited from possessing ammunition because of prior felony drug trafficking convictions in Fresno County.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Cisneros faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and a $10 million fine. 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 Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Source: DOJ Release
