A Fresno man, Manuel Cisneros, 48, has been arraigned following a federal grand jury indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as being a felon in possession of ammunition. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.
Court documents state that on February 20, 2025, Cisneros had fentanyl, methamphetamine, and several rounds of .40-caliber ammunition in his possession. Due to prior felony drug trafficking convictions in Fresno County, Cisneros is legally prohibited from possessing ammunition.
The case was investigated by the Fresno Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is handling the prosecution.
If found guilty, Cisneros could face up to life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years. He also faces a potential fine of $10 million. Sentencing will be determined by the court after considering statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines. “The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
This prosecution falls under Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an initiative launched by the Justice Department in July 2018 to reduce synthetic opioid supply in high-impact areas and identify both domestic and international distribution networks.
Additionally, this case is part of Operation Take Back America—a national effort leveraging resources from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) to address illegal immigration, disrupt criminal organizations such as cartels and TCOs, and combat violent crime across communities.
