Bryan Torres, a 24-year-old resident of Cherryville, North Carolina, has been sentenced to ten years in prison followed by four years of supervised release. The sentence was announced by Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Court documents reveal that between October 2022 and January 2023, Torres was involved in drug trafficking activities in Gaston County. Law enforcement conducted several controlled purchases from Torres, acquiring methamphetamine, over 250 fentanyl pills, powder fentanyl, heroin, and other substances. It was noted that Torres was armed during at least one transaction. A search warrant executed on February 2, 2023, at his residence led to the seizure of five firearms and ammunition along with additional quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Torres pleaded guilty on February 29, 2024, to charges of distributing methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He will remain in federal custody until he is transferred to a designated federal facility under the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Cherryville Police Department, and the Gaston County Police Department.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). This program aims to reduce violent crime and gun violence by bringing together various levels of law enforcement and community stakeholders.
For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods in the Western District of North Carolina, interested parties are encouraged to visit their website.
