Five men have been indicted for their roles in a massive methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking operation in Merced County, California, as part of “Operation Red Rooster,” a long-term investigation into gang violence and drug trafficking.
Fernando Arellano, 36, of Planada, Isaiah Serena, 40, of Merced, Jason Mott, 49, of Merced, David Gonzales, 45, of Merced, and Christopher Baca-Arias, 18, a native of Honduras, were charged with various crimes related to the operation.
According to court documents, Serena and Mott operated a drug trafficking operation centered on a self-storage business in Merced, supplying methamphetamine to local users. Arellano is accused of supplying the methamphetamine, while Baca-Arias provided fentanyl. Gonzales worked for Serena and Mott.
The investigation uncovered that the conspirators distributed over 40 pounds of methamphetamine and 2 pounds of fentanyl during the course of the investigation. The case is a result of “Operation Red Rooster,” a multi-agency effort involving Homeland Security Investigations, the Merced-Area Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (MAGNET), the California Department of Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Arellano, Serena, Mott, and Gonzales face a statutory maximum of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Baca-Arias faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
The charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities nationwide.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, which targets high-level criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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