Arturo Contreras Soto, a 37-year-old resident of Tucson, has been sentenced to 60 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was handed down by Chief United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps following a bench trial on January 28, 2025.
Soto's arrest occurred on April 3, 2024, when Tucson Police officers found him riding an electric bicycle near downtown Tucson with an open container of alcohol. A search revealed a 9mm handgun with a loaded magazine in a satchel he was wearing, along with approximately 500 fentanyl pills and $250 in cash in his pockets. The investigation uncovered Soto's extensive prior felony history, which includes motor vehicle theft, drug-related crimes, and aggravated robbery charges.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), in cooperation with the Tucson Police Department, took over the case under the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP). This program, established by the U.S. Department of Justice, aims to enhance collaboration among federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to improve public safety. Launched as the Violence Reduction Network in 2014, the PSP focuses on providing fast and efficient training, resources, and assistance tailored to the specific crime reduction needs of participating communities.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer H. Berman and Alessandra Bermudez from the District of Arizona, Tucson, led the prosecution of the case. The investigation involved significant efforts by both the ATF and the Tucson Police Department.
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