FRESNO  -   A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Salvador Ortiz-Padilla, 24, of Fresno, charging him with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl pills, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on Sept. 22, 2021, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a residence of a suspected fentanyl-pill dealer, Ortiz-Padilla. During the search of the residence, agents found approximately 9,000 fentanyl pills hidden in a safe that Ortiz-Padilla controlled.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, a multi‑agency team composed of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Ortiz-Padilla faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.