An undocumented immigrant from Mexico, who beforehand spent nearly twenty years in federal custody, was charged Tuesday with allegedly orchestrating the transportation of methamphetamine valued at tens of tens of millions of {dollars} within the Atlanta area. Authorities found almost 1,600 kilos of the drug hid inside shipments of blackberries.
Gerardo Solorio-Alvarado, 44, from Mexico, faces costs of conspiracy and intent to distribute methamphetamine.
He had earlier accomplished a 17-year jail time period following a conviction for felony possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, alongside possession of a firearm throughout a drug trafficking offense.
Authorities revealed the arrests in Georgia on Wednesday, presenting an infinite haul of methamphetamine. (Supply: @FBIAtlanta through X)
His alleged accomplice, Nelson Enrique Sorto, 36, from Atlanta, can also be charged with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He’s at present on probation following a 2024 conviction for felony methamphetamine possession.
On November 20, federal brokers, together with Corridor County sheriff’s deputies, noticed three refrigerated field vehicles stationed outdoors a chilly storage facility in Fulton County.
They adopted one of many vehicles to a fuel station in Gainesville and watched as Solorio-Alvarado picked up the driving force and left the deserted field truck on the fuel station, in keeping with officers.
The medication had been allegedly present in field vehicles transporting blackberries, in keeping with officers. (@FBIAtlanta through X)
After a K9 alerted to the odor of narcotics, brokers searched the truck and recovered about 661 kilos of methamphetamine hidden amongst pallets of blackberries.
Solorio-Alvarado was later arrested whereas making an attempt to flee out of the again of his Gainesville dwelling, in keeping with authorities. Inside the home, deputies discovered keys to the deserted truck.
On the identical time, one other staff of brokers adopted a second field truck because it traveled in tandem with an SUV, allegedly pushed by Sorto, to a house in southeast Atlanta.
The 2 males arrested had been beforehand convicted of drug-related offenses, in keeping with authorities. (@FBIAtlanta through X)
Shortly after midnight, Sorto left within the SUV with two passengers and Georgia State Patrol troopers stopped them, discovering two weapons and several other containers of blackberries within the SUV, officers stated.
Throughout a subsequent search of the field truck parked outdoors the Atlanta dwelling, Georgia Bureau of Investigation brokers, assisted by the FBI, recovered about 924 kilos of methamphetamine hid in pallets of blackberries.
Mixed, the 2 seizures amounted to 1,585 kilos of methamphetamine.
Officers stated the massive quantity of meth was price tens of tens of millions of {dollars}. (@FBIAtlanta through X)
Throughout a information convention on Wednesday, U.S. Lawyer Theodore Hertzberg stated the 2 seizures amounted to 1,585 kilos of methamphetamine, price tens of tens of millions of {dollars}.
“Solorio-Alvarado was convicted in federal courtroom for drug trafficking and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and he served almost twenty years in federal jail for these offenses. He was then, and he stays, an unlawful alien, unlawfully current in the US,” Hertzberg stated. “We’ve seen the cartels function this manner earlier than… we have now seen large methamphetamine seizures of medication that had been smuggled in with cucumbers, celery or jalapeño peppers. And now … blackberries.”
Each males stay in state custody, however shall be transferred to the U.S. Marshals Service.
After showing in federal courtroom, Hertzberg stated his workplace will transfer for them to be held with out bail till their instances have been resolved.
Solorio-Alvarado faces a minimum of 15 years in jail due to his prison historical past, and Sorto faces a minimum of 10 years in jail. The utmost sentences are life in jail with out parole.
The prosecutions are additionally a part of the Homeland Safety Job Drive (HSTF) initiative established by President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 government order “Defending the American Individuals In opposition to Invasion.”
