A Lakeland man has been sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine and illegally possessing firearms and ammunition. U.S. District Judge Kathryn K. Mizelle handed down the sentence to Moreno Fenelus, 44, who pleaded guilty on March 28, 2025.
Court records show that between January and March 2023, Fenelus sold narcotics including cocaine, para-fluorofentanyl (an analogue of fentanyl), a mixture of fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl, and methamphetamine to a confidential source working with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
In July 2023, authorities executed a search warrant at Fenelus’s residence where they found cocaine, para-fluorofentanyl, six firearms, and various types of ammunition. As Fenelus had previously been convicted of a felony offense, he was prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.
“This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results,” according to officials.
