Fresno Man Sentenced To Over 21 Years In Prison For Methamphetamine Trafficking, Possession Of A Firearm, And Interstate Transportation For Prostitution

FRESNO, Calif. — On June 17, 2019, Carlos Montano, aka “Loco,” 29, of Fresno, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill to 21 years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and interstate transportation for prostitution, United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, Montano was an influential member of the Fresno Bulldogs criminal street gang. Between April 2017 and July 2017, Montano distributed multiple pounds of crystal methamphetamine in the Fresno area, often using others in his distribution activities. During the investigation, Montano discussed the possession and use of weapons, and on two separate occasions, he fled from officers who were attempting to apprehend him.  Montano engaged in commercial sex trafficking, exploiting women in multiple cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and New York. 

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Fresno Police Department, Multi Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez, Jeffrey A. Spivak, and Thomas Newman prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF Program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.