Four Fresno Residents Sentenced as Part of Project Safe Neighborhoods Program to Reduce Violent Crime and Gun Violence

FRESNO, Calif. — Four Fresno men were sentenced today for drug and/or firearm offenses, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Mike Marty Hernandez, 26, of Fresno, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on May 23, 2022, detectives arrested Hernandez after observing him in possession of a loaded firearm equipped with a large capacity magazine. Because of his criminal record, including a 2019 conviction for threatening a public official, Hernandez may not lawfully possess firearms or ammunition. This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI and the Fresno Police Department Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC).

Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.

Oshay Laray Pullen, 26, of Fresno, was sentenced to three years and one month in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court documents, on Oct. 21, 2020, Pullen was on parole for a prior conviction for assault with a firearm and found to be in possession of a firearm and a loaded magazine. Pullen is a felon who cannot lawfully possess firearms or ammunition. This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI and MAGEC.

Andres Nunez, 25, of Fresno, was sentenced today to seven years in prison for distributing fentanyl to a person under 21 years old and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. According to court documents, in February 2021, Nunez delivered counterfeit M30 pills, laced with fentanyl, to a juvenile. During a search of Nunez’s residence, several firearms, including an automatic handgun were found. This case was the product of an investigation by FORT, a multi-agency team investigating fentanyl trafficking composed of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), DEA, and the Fresno Police Department.

Leo Torres, 31, of Fresno, was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. According to court documents, in January 2021, Torres conspired to smuggle heroin and methamphetamine into the Fresno County Jail for further distribution among inmates. Recorded jail calls revealed the plan to sneak the drugs into the jail inside a pair of athletic shoes destined for an inmate. Officers at the jail intercepted the shoes and found heroin and methamphetamine in hidden compartments. This case was the product of an investigation by HSI, DEA, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fresno Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted these three cases.

These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.