A federal grand jury in Fresno, California, has indicted three men on charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Jesus Valdez Castaneda, 28, from San Bernardino; Carlos German Fierro, 29, from Caruthers; and Alejandro Soto Mares, 43, from Mexico are accused of conspiring with others to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl.
Court documents reveal that the defendants planned to sell 150,000 fentanyl pills at a strip mall parking lot in Madera on February 21, 2025. According to the allegations, Castaneda and Soto Mares met with a co-conspirator to negotiate the sale price before Fierro and two others arrived with the pills in another vehicle.
The deal was interrupted when the suspects went into a nearby Panda Express restaurant. Law enforcement officers arrested them and seized the drugs along with two firearms.
The investigation was conducted by the High Impact Investigation Team (HIIT), which includes personnel from several law enforcement agencies such as the California Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Arin C. Heinz and Cody S. Chapple are leading the prosecution.
All three defendants are currently detained awaiting trial. If convicted, they face significant penalties including a minimum of ten years in prison and up to life imprisonment along with fines up to $10 million for drug-related charges. Additionally, Fierro faces an extra five-year sentence for firearm possession related to drug trafficking activities.
"The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt."
Sentencing will be determined by the court based on statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines after any potential conviction.