Jorge Luis Rivera, 53 of Fresno, owned the El Ranchito Bakery in Fresno. Google Street View photo

A Fresno bakery owner who orchestrated a years-long food stamp trafficking operation has been sentenced to three years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced Monday.

Jorge Luis Rivera, 56, owner of El Ranchito Bakery in Fresno, was also ordered to pay nearly $3.5 million in restitution for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud offenses.

According to court documents, Rivera ran the illegal operation for more than seven years, from 2011 through August 2018. During that time, he exchanged Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits — commonly known as food stamps — for cash at a significant discount, pocketing millions in profits.

Rivera also accepted SNAP benefits for unauthorized items at customers’ requests. SNAP benefits, which are intended to help low-income individuals purchase food, cannot legally be exchanged for cash.

El Ranchito Bakery had been authorized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to accept SNAP benefits since 2005.

Rivera’s sentence was enhanced because he directed two lower-level bakery employees to participate in the fraudulent scheme. Both employees pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in 2020 and were sentenced last year.

The original investigation estimated the loss to the United States at over $5 million, though the final restitution amount was set at approximately $3.5 million.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chan Hee Chu and Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.

Rivera was first indicted in May 2023, with the indictment unsealed following his arrest. He faced a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count.