Fresno Man Indicted for Cocaine and Firearms Offenses

FRESNO, Calif. - A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Maurice Hackett, 49, of Fresno, charging him with possessing cocaine with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a felon, according to U.S. Attorney Eric Grant.

According to court documents, on March 25, 2026, law enforcement officers executed a search of Hackett's residence after detectives observed multiple social media posts, by a person later identified as Hackett, that contained pictures of additional firearms and narcotics, as well as boasts about robbing others for drugs. In his residence, officers located a loaded handgun with a high-capacity magazine and more than a pound and a half of cocaine, as well as a scale and pay/owe sheets that are used to track who owes money. Hackett is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions in Fresno County and in the U.S. District Court in Fresno for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, Hackett faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison as well as a $5 million fine. If convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, he faces a mandatory minimum and consecutive sentence of five years in prison up to a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.