Tulare County Man Convicted in Fentanyl Transportation and Illegal Cannabis Cultivation Case
VISALIA, CA — A Tulare County Superior Court jury recently delivered a guilty verdict against 28-year-old Angel Ramiro Pando for various drug and firearm offenses. The trial, held in Department 6 of the Visalia Division, concluded following evidence presented by prosecutors from the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.
File Photo of Suspect | Courtesy of Visalia PD
The case originated on March 19, 2024, when Pando transported approximately 6,000 counterfeit “M30” fentanyl pills to a UPS store in Visalia. The Visalia Police Department Narcotics Unit intercepted the shipment, which was destined for an address in Georgia. Investigators identified Pando through a fingerprint discovered on one of the packages.
A subsequent four-month investigation by law enforcement revealed that Pando operated a marijuana cultivation site within a mobile home in an unincorporated area of Tulare. Officers seized 350 plants at the location. During a search of Pando’s vehicle, authorities also recovered a loaded, unregistered firearm concealed near the steering column.
Pando was convicted of transportation to sell a controlled substance, specifically fentanyl. The jury upheld special allegations that the act carried a threat of great bodily injury, involved a large quantity of contraband, and was committed while Pando was on probation for a prior DUI.
Furthermore, Pando was found guilty of carrying a loaded handgun on his person and possessing a concealed firearm in his vehicle, with additional findings that the weapon was unregistered and the defendant was on probation. Other convictions included maintaining a place for selling a controlled substance, possession of cannabis for sale, and cultivation of more than six cannabis plants.
Sentencing for Pando is set for January 29, 2026. Under current statutes, he faces a maximum sentence of seven years in state prison.
