A Fresno man has been sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison on charges of drug trafficking and illegal possession of firearms. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Antonio Sorondo Jr., 52, conspired to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, and was caught with firearms which he was prohibited from possessing due to prior felony convictions.
The case unfolded when Sorondo attempted to flee law enforcement in February 2022, discarding a loaded firearm during the chase. Authorities later caught him with two more guns and approximately 100 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. This sentence is part of a larger push by Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge aiming to tackle the spread of synthetic opioids and dismantle high-level criminal organizations, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The investigation into Sorondo's activities involved a multi-agency team called FORT, which includes Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio was responsible for prosecuting the case under the umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.
The enforcement strategy behind Sorondo's sentence ties into the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program – a collaborative effort among federal, state, and local entities designed to reduce violent crime. Disrupting the networks that supply illegal substances, Project Safe Neighborhoods also aims to integrate prevention and reentry programs to ensure lasting impacts on community safety, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
