Alberto Perez, Felon in Possession of Firearm, California 2017

Fresno, California – In a shocking turn of events, Alberto Perez, 31, of Fresno, was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott.

According to court documents, Perez was involved in a shooting incident on June 26, 2017, while riding in a car in the area of Highway 99 and Ventura. Perez fired shots at a car, intending to hit an occupant inside the vehicle.

A subsequent investigation revealed that Perez later discussed the shooting in a call with Carlos Montano, who is charged and has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, firearms, and sex trafficking offenses in a related criminal case. Agents monitoring the intercepted communications were able to further connect Perez to the shooting using various investigative techniques.

In September 2017, investigators obtained a search warrant and found ammunition at Perez’s residence. The charges against Perez are the product of an investigation by the DEA, FBI, HSI, ATF, the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez and Jeffrey Spivak are prosecuting the case. This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.

Perez’s sentence is a stark reminder of the consequences of engaging in violent crime. The OCDETF program has been instrumental in disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, and the PSN program has proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through these programs, law enforcement agencies work together to identify and prosecute the most violent offenders.

The investigation and prosecution of Perez’s case demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement agencies to keeping our communities safe from violent crime. The sentence handed down to Perez is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the investigators and prosecutors involved in the case.