A Fresno man was arrested and charged this week on suspicion of intent to sell about 4 kilograms of fentanyl, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Friday.
Federal prosecutors said in a news release that Isaac Benito Lopez, 39, of Fresno, drove to a Fresno restaurant on Wednesday with the intent to distribute the 4 kilograms (8 pounds) of fentanyl. He’s been charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Court records show a confidential source working for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration set up the deal with Lopez at a Denny’s restaurant. They agreed to $18,000 per kilogram, according to the complaint.
After Lopez was arrested at the diner, investigators said they served a search warrant at his home near Gettysburg and Millbrook avenues, where they found another 400 grams of the illegal drug. They also discovered an “AR-style rifle” with a drum magazine, which held more than 70 rounds of ammunition, according to court records.
The DEA worked with Fresno police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office on the case, prosecutors said in a news release.
Lopez faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison, as well as up to a $10 million fine, according to prosecutors. It was not clear on Friday whether he had an attorney.
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Reporter Thaddeus Miller has covered cities in the central San Joaquin Valley since 2010, writing about everything from breaking news to government and police accountability. A native of Fresno, he joined The Fresno Bee in 2019 after time in Merced and Los Banos.