Local News

FRESNO -  A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Andres Nunez, 23, of Fresno, charging him with a distribution of fentanyl to a person under 21 years old and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Feb. 9, 2021, Nunez delivered a substance containing fentanyl to a person under 21 years of age. In June 2021, agents executed a search warrant at Nunez’s residence. In his bedroom, they found approximately 13 firearms, including a “ghost gun,” a Glock-style handgun with no serial number. Attached to the gun was an “auto-sear,” a device that attaches to a firearm enabling its functions as a machine gun. Agents also found two additional “auto-sears,” a digital scale, packaging materials, a vacuum sealer, and four clear plastic bags, each containing approximately 1 pound of processed marijuana.

FRESNO — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Cesar Castro, 41, of Modesto, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and a one‑count indictment against Juan Dimas, 31, of Modesto, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on June 1, Castro was arrested in Modesto in possession of a loaded firearm. On May 20, Dimas was arrested in Modesto after discarding a loaded firearm during a police chase. Both men are convicted felons prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition, and both men were serving terms of post-release community supervision following firearms convictions at the time of their arrest on these charges.

FRESNO - Jason Vertz, 51, of Fresno, and Alana Powers, 45, an inmate at the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla, were each sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to five years and one month in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and aggravated identity theft, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Vertz and Powers submitted several fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in Powers’ and other CCWF inmates’ names to the California Employment Development Department (EDD). Recorded jail calls and emails show that Powers and other inmates provided names, dates of birth, and social security numbers for inmates at CCWF to Vertz to submit the fraudulent claims. Shortly thereafter, the benefits were loaded onto debit cards that were mailed to the addresses the defendants provided.

FRESNO -  A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Carlos Perez, 45, of Fresno, charging him with assault on a federal contractor, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, on June 21, 2021, Perez assaulted a Court Security Officer inside the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Fresno by striking the officer in the face.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Protective Services, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Schuh is prosecuting the case.