FRESNO -  Samuel Delacruz, 38, of Fresno, was sentenced today to eight years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

According to court documents, in 2017, Delacruz was serving the remainder of his federal sentence for a 2013 conviction at Turning Point Fresno Residential Reentry Center. On Oct. 15, 2017, he failed to return to the center as required following a day pass. A U.S. Marshals Service warrant was issued, but his whereabouts remained unknown for over five months.

On March 22, 2018, when a sheriff’s deputy attempted to pull Delacruz over for a traffic violation, Delacruz attempted to flee in the car and then on foot. While he ran, he tossed a firearm into an area where children were playing. That firearm was loaded with 18 live rounds of ammunition. Fortunately, the gun was located and turned over to law enforcement.

Delacruz, an active Fresno Bulldog street gang member, has a previous felony conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. On Dec. 2, 2019, Delacruz pleaded guilty to the offense.

This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica A. Massey and Kimberly A. Sanchez prosecuted the case.