Gerardo Solorio-Alvarado, a Mexican national previously convicted of drug trafficking, and Nelson Enrique Sorto of Atlanta are facing federal charges after authorities seized over 1,500 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in blackberry shipments at locations in Southeast Atlanta and Gainesville, Georgia.
“These repeat offenders, including an illegal alien, allegedly attempted to conceal and traffic an enormous quantity of deadly methamphetamine in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “We are thankful for the quick action of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners who apprehended these individuals and stopped nearly 1,600 pounds of methamphetamine from hitting the streets.”
FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown stated: “The FBI will never waver in our commitment to disrupt traffickers and prevent their dangerous drugs from reaching our streets, no matter where they try to hide them. Thanks to the quick response and dedicated efforts of our law enforcement partners, these repeat offenders will be held responsible for their crimes.”
Chris Hosey, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), commented: “This indictment serves as a clear message that drug trafficking has no place in our communities. It shows what can be accomplished when law enforcement works together with determination and purpose. We remain committed to working alongside our federal, state, and local partners to pursue and disrupt the plans of those who threaten our communities through drug trafficking.”
Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch added: “These arrests and the confiscation of this massive amount of methamphetamine represent a major disruption to the criminals who traffic this dangerous poison in our communities. Hall County Sheriff’s Office investigators worked tirelessly in this case to hold accountable those who threaten the well-being of people in our county and communities across Georgia. I’m incredibly proud of the teamwork displayed by our investigators and our state and federal partners.”
On November 20, 2025, law enforcement agents monitored a cold storage warehouse in Fulton County where three refrigerated box trucks were parked outside. Authorities followed one truck accompanied by an SUV driven by Sorto to a residence in southeast Atlanta. Sorto inspected the truck's contents before leaving with two passengers; during a subsequent traffic stop on his vehicle by Georgia State Patrol troopers, officers found two firearms along with several containers filled with blackberries. Agents then searched the parked box truck near the residence with assistance from GBI agents and recovered approximately 924 pounds of methamphetamine concealed within pallets of blackberries.
At about the same time, another team tracked a second box truck from the warehouse to a gas station in Gainesville. Solorio-Alvarado arrived there to pick up its driver before departing together; after a narcotics K9 detected drugs on the abandoned truck at that location, authorities discovered around 661 pounds more methamphetamine also hidden among blackberry pallets. Solorio-Alvarado was later arrested while trying to flee his Gainesville home; deputies located keys matching those for the abandoned vehicle inside his residence.
Investigators determined that Solorio-Alvarado had previously served 17 years for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine as well as possession of a firearm related to drug trafficking crimes. Sorto is currently on probation following his 2024 conviction for possession of methamphetamine in Hall County.
Solorio-Alvarado was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 2 on conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute charges; Sorto was charged via criminal complaint on December 1.
Officials remind that indictments are only allegations; both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt at trial.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Hall County Sheriff’s Office led investigations into these cases; additional support came from Georgia State Patrol as well as Hall County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Keen and Dwayne Brown Jr., are prosecuting both cases.
These prosecutions fall under Operation Take Back America—a Department of Justice initiative aimed at countering illegal immigration networks as well as transnational criminal organizations—and also form part of Homeland Security Task Force efforts established under Executive Order 14159 targeting organized crime groups operating domestically or internationally.
The public can access educational resources about drug dangers at www.justthinktwice.gov.
