38 Gang Members and Associates Charged in Federal Complaint as a Result of “Operation Shock Collar”

On June 26, 2025, upwards of 550 federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel executed 54 search warrants in the Fresno County city of Huron, and surrounding communities. Throughout the investigation, law enforcement seized firearms, ammunition, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. Eighty‑nine criminal street gang members and associates were arrested and charged with crimes in federal and state court.

The complaint, unsealed today, charges 38 members and associates of the Huron Dog Life, Coalinga Dog Life, and San Joaquin Ruthless Perro cliques of the Bulldog street gang with various drug and firearms trafficking offenses.

Announcing the results of Operation Shock Collar today are Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, FBI Special Agent in Charge Siddhartha Patel, Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni, Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, and California Highway Patrol Captain (MAGEC Commander) Jon Staricka.

“Today’s announcement reflects our Office’s commitment to using every available resource in close coordination with our law enforcement partners to address the root causes of crime and hold gang members and their associates accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “Criminal street gangs inflict real harm on our communities by trafficking deadly drugs and firearms that destroy lives and neighborhoods. I commend the outstanding work of our agents and law enforcement partners in disrupting these criminal networks and safeguarding our communities.”

“The charges reflect the brazen violence and drug trafficking that have threatened the safety and stability of the greater Fresno area, particularly in rural communities like Huron and Coalinga,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “Yesterday’s operation was the culmination of months of collaborative work to disrupt gang-driven violence and the flow of drugs and firearms into Central Valley neighborhoods. This case highlights the power of strong partnerships at every level of law enforcement, all united in the mission to dismantle violent gangs and protect the communities we serve.”

Fresno County Sheriff Zanoni said, “The collective work done by all law enforcement agencies in this operation will undoubtedly improve the safety and overall quality of life for residents in Fresno County, particularly those living in our smaller rural communities.”

“This operation is a powerful example of what can be achieved when law enforcement agencies at every level work together with a shared mission: to protect our communities from violent criminal street gangs,” said Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp. “We are determined to send a clear and unwavering message to even the most rural parts of our county—no matter where you are, gang violence and drug trafficking will not be tolerated. I commend the extraordinary efforts of all the agencies involved in this operation.”

According to the criminal complaint, in February 2024, investigators began an investigation into the Bulldog criminal street gang operating in Fresno County with a specific focus on the ongoing criminal activities of Bulldog cliques in Huron, Coalinga, and San Joaquin. The complaint alleges an extensive criminal conspiracy in which Bulldog members and associates — some of whom were inmates in California prisons and the Fresno County Jail — orchestrated various crimes, including drug and firearms trafficking. On several occasions, members of the drug trafficking conspiracy attempted to smuggle drugs hidden inside their bodies into jails or through holes they punctured in the walls. They used contraband phones to coordinate these smuggling attempts with other gang members and associates.

Narcotics packaged for smuggling within bodily cavities

Narcotics packaged for smuggling through holes in jail walls

Photo depicting hole in jail walls

Photo depicting hole in jail wall

This case is the product of an investigation led by the FBI, the Fresno County Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), the California Department of Justice Special Operations Unit, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the California Highway Patrol, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Police Departments of Fresno, Kingsburg, Coalinga, Kerman, Firebaugh, Lemoore, Parlier, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Kings County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert L. Veneman-Hughes, Luke Baty, and Antonio Pataca are prosecuting the case.

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi‑agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

This operation is part of Summer Heat, the FBI’s nationwide initiative targeting violent crime during the summer months. As part of this effort, the FBI has launched a multi-pronged offensive to crush violent crime. By surging resources alongside state and local partners, executing federal warrants on violent criminals and fugitives, and dismantling violent gangs nationwide, we are aggressively restoring safety in our communities across the country.

The defendants charged in the criminal complaint unsealed today are:

Ignacio Sanchez, aka “Giddy,” 44, of Salinas Valley State Prison, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Ray Pinon, aka “Lil Ray,” 46, of Huron, is charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Benny Gonzales, aka “Huero,” 51, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Ramona Felisciano, 45, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Jennifer Escobedo, 42, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Armando Alfaro, aka “Whisper,” 49, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Luis Amaro Aguilar, 31, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Carly Balboa, 24, of Hanford, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Timothy Chenot, aka “Lil Whisper,” 34, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Barbara Diaz, 55, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Susanna Garcia, 38, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Axel Guevara, aka “Action,” 18, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Carlos Guillen, aka “C-Dog,” 23, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to traffic in firearms.

Gilberto Hernandez, 27, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Anthony Jeff, aka “Envy,” 46, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Victoria Lima, 44, of Clovis, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Angel Solorio Lopez, aka “Ronzo,” 18, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Ricardo Lopez, aka “R-Dog,” 27, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Damien Murphy, 30, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Bridgett Murphy, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Ricardo Nunez, 22, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Laura Plascencia, aka “LP,” 46, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Gracie Pulido, 38, of Lemoore, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Daniel Loubet Romero, aka “Topo,” 44, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Debbie Sanchez, 60, of Hanford, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Naul Sandoval, 23, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Angel Soto Rios, 42, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Rodrigo Ruvalcaba, aka “Regal,” 40, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Victor Tamayo, 47, of Fresno, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Louis Bonilla, 41, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Crystal Martinez, 38, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Hemir Alonso Fevela Velazquez, 32, of Huron, is charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Herman Vierra Jr., 41, of Fresno, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Servando Ayala, 30, of Coalinga, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license.

Jose Licea, aka “T-Bird,” 35, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license.

Alexander Vasquez, aka “A-Dog,” 21, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and conspiracy to traffic in firearms.

Brian Fornes, 22, of Huron, is charged with conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and conspiracy to traffic in firearms.

Jesus Quesada, aka “Rojo,” 50, of Hanford, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

If convicted, the defendants face a range of sentences from 10 years to life in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.