Bulldog Gang Members Arrested in Citywide Action

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Four Facing Federal Firearms Charges
FRESNO, Calif. — Four alleged members of the Bulldogcriminal street gang are in custody today facing federal firearms charges,United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Riehl announced.
According to court documents, the defendants in thesecases are alleged to be Bulldog gang members. Each told police they possessedthe firearms in question for protection.
Eric Torres, 20, of Fresno, made his initial appearance infederal court today on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm.Fernando Casas, 37; Arthur Mendoza Gonzalez, 42; and Robert Nunez, 30, all ofFresno, are in custody on unrelated state charges and face federal charges ofbeing a felons in possession of firearms. Nunez is also charged with possessingan unregistered firearm.
These cases are the product of investigations by federal,state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Bureau ofAlcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fresno Police Department, andthe United States Marshal Service. They are part of the Project SafeNeighborhoods (PSN) initiative which brings together federal, state and locallaw enforcement to combat gun and gang crime. At the core of PSN is increasedfederal prosecution to incapacitate chronic violent offenders as well as tocommunicate a credible deterrent threat to potential gun offenders. AssistantU.S. Attorney Laurel Montoya is prosecuting Nunez and Casas, Assistant U.S.Attorney Yasin Mohammad is prosecuting Torres, and Assistant U.S. AttorneyKimberly A. Sanchez is prosecuting Gonzalez.
"Gang members who possess guns put our communities atrisk," said Joseph M. Riehl. "ATF will continue to remove guns fromstreet gangs and target those violent criminals who illegally possess them inan effort to reduce violent crime in and around Fresno."
The maximum statutory penalty for being a felon inpossession of a firearm, and for possessing an unregistered firearm is 10 yearsin prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will bedetermined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicablestatutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take intoaccount a number of variables. The charges against defendants are onlyallegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless provenguilty beyond a reasonable doubt.