Alexander Arellano, a 25-year-old Atlanta resident, has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term for distributing large quantities of fentanyl in the Atlanta area while in possession of firearms.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr., Arellano’s actions posed a significant threat to public safety, particularly when combined with the presence of firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.
‘Fentanyl traffickers like Arellano are a menace to society, and their actions will be met with severe consequences,’ Moultrie stated.
On May 3, 2024, special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration observed Arellano sell a half kilogram of fentanyl to another individual in a Marietta gas station parking lot. Agents subsequently followed Arellano back to an apartment on Windy Hill Road in Marietta, where he was arrested and a federal search warrant was obtained.
During the search, agents discovered 10 kilograms of fentanyl, two loaded firearms, including an AK-47 pistol, and $120,000 in cash inside a bedroom belonging to Arellano. Notably, Arellano had been previously convicted for trafficking methamphetamine and was on probation at the time of his arrest.
Arellano pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on August 29, 2024. He was subsequently sentenced on April 14, 2025, by United States District Judge William M. Ray II to 13 years and 3 months in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Cobb County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Bethany L. Rupert prosecuted the case.
Related Federal Cases
- Antonio Jenord Whitehead, Fentanyl Trafficking, Georgia 2024 · Virginia
- Darnell Lamar Anderson, Fentanyl Trafficking, Georgia 2024 · Virginia
- Felix Calderon-Valcarcel, Cocaine, Heroin, Fentanyl Trafficking, NY · Pennsylvania
- Jason Cox, Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking, Connecticut 2024 · California
- Cornelius Leonard, Meth Trafficking, Georgia 2023 · Arkansas
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Drug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug Trafficking