Rachel C. Hernandez Acting United States Attorney for the District of Arizona | U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona
Arturo Contreras Soto, a 37-year-old resident of Tucson, has been sentenced to 60 months in prison by Chief United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps. Soto was found guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, following a bench trial conducted on January 28, 2025.
Soto's arrest occurred on April 3, 2024, when Tucson Police Department officers apprehended him while he was on an electric bicycle in the downtown area of Tucson. At the time, he was carrying an open container of alcohol. A subsequent search revealed he had a 9mm handgun with a loaded magazine in a satchel worn across his chest. In addition, officers found around 500 fentanyl pills and approximately $250 in cash in Soto's pockets. Further investigations highlighted that Soto had multiple prior felony convictions, including motor vehicle theft, drug-related crimes, and aggravated robbery.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) took charge of the case, working in collaboration with the Tucson Police Department under the framework of the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP).
PSP was founded by the U.S. Department of Justice with the aim of providing federal support to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, enhancing public safety measures. This initiative, which started as a pilot program in 2014 named the Violence Reduction Network, aims to improve interagency coordination and public safety through specialized law enforcement and prosecutorial resources. PSP has enhanced public safety strategies and has been active in more than 60 sites since its inception.
The investigation into Soto's case was conducted by the ATF and Tucson Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer H. Berman and Alessandra Bermudez from the District of Arizona, Tucson.
