Sacramento, California - Jesus Heriberto Barajas, 29, of Suisun City, pleaded guilty Thursday to possession of cocaine and methamphetamine for distribution and possessing a firearm as a felon, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on April 11, 2019, police officers executed a search warrant at Barajas’ home in Suisun City. During the search, they found approximately 860 grams (1.9 pounds) of powder cocaine, 370 grams (0.8 pounds) of methamphetamine, a digital scale, and a stolen .40-caliber pistol that had been modified to function as a fully automatic machine gun. Barajas is not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition because he has previously been convicted of a felony offense.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Fairfield Police Department, with special assistance from the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force, the Solano County District Attorney’s Office, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
Barajas is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy Nunley on May 20, 2021. For each of the narcotics charges, Barajas faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million. For the firearm charge, Barajas faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will 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.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
