Felons with Firearms: Local Gang-Related Offenses on Rise

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Felons Caught with Firearms in Fresno Area

FRESNO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced recent prosecutions of firearm and gang-related offenses in the Fresno area.

Miguel Rodriguez, 37, of Fresno, was found in possession of a .357 revolver in Reedley on July 17, 2018. A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment on September 6, 2018, charging Rodriguez with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Rodriguez had multiple previous felony convictions, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. This case is the product of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Reedley Police Department.

Nicholas Delt, 35, of Fresno, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm after incurring a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction. According to court documents, police officers attempted to stop Delt while he was driving with an expired registration. Delt failed to stop, drove for approximately half a mile, then got out of the vehicle and ran on foot. When officers caught Delt, they found a loaded handgun with a high capacity magazine in his waistband. Delt has previously been convicted of second degree burglary, a felony, and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant, a misdemeanor. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on January 7, 2019.

Juan Briceno, 37, of Fresno, was sentenced to five years in prison for distribution of a controlled substance. Briceno pleaded guilty on June 18, 2018, to selling 141 grams of methamphetamine and 129 grams of cocaine to a confidential informant between February 14, 2017, and December 2, 2017. This case was investigated by the ATF, DEA, HSI, FBI, USMS, Fresno Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Multi Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), California Highway Patrol, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation–Division of Adult Parole, Fresno County Probation, the United States Attorney’s Office, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office.

Cecilio Alaniz Jr., 28, of Fresno, was sentenced to six years and six months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Alaniz pleaded guilty on June 25, 2018, to conspiring with Jesse Mendoza to distribute methamphetamine between April 1 and November 11, 2015. Alaniz provided methamphetamine to Mendoza, and on October 21, 2015, Mendoza sold a pound of methamphetamine.

These cases are a result of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California’s strategy to reduce violent crime. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with local law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute cases that involve firearm and gang-related offenses.