12 New Federal Cases Filed as Law Enforcement Continues Vigorous Response to Deadly Fentanyl Epidemic

LOS ANGELES – Law enforcement officials today announced a dozen new federal cases targeting fentanyl dealers who, in all but one case, allegedly sold fentanyl and fake pills containing fentanyl that directly resulted in the death of at least one victim. The 12th case charges an alleged dealer who distributed fentanyl to teenage girls who suffered overdoses and required hospitalization.

In another matter announced today, a man who sold fentanyl through several dark web marketplaces has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges, admitting that his products caused the death of three individuals and that he sold fentanyl-laced pills to two others who died soon after.

The announcement was made at a news conference in which federal authorities, joined by a host of local law enforcement leaders, discussed their ongoing efforts to combat the proliferation of fentanyl, the extremely powerful synthetic opioid that is found in many illicit drugs and is killing approximately 70,000 Americans every year.

“We are fully committed to combating the fentanyl crisis, which is wreaking so much destruction across this nation,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Those who traffic in fentanyl should be on notice that our office will hold you accountable and the consequences will be severe. The deadly risks of fentanyl are well known. The cases announced today charge drug dealers who have caused the death or injury of others, and thereby prioritized greed over human life. These cases that focus on fentanyl distribution resulting in death are the result of an unprecedented level of cooperation between federal agents and local authorities throughout our district.”

“The two main drivers that are causing fentanyl related deaths in our community and throughout the nation are accessibility and deception,” said DEA Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Bill Bodner. “Social media platforms have made fentanyl widely available to anyone with a smartphone and made every neighborhood an open-air drug market. The deceptive marketing tactics used by the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels have created a vast pool of victims who unknowingly ingested fentanyl and did not make a choice to be harmed or die. Through the DEA Overdose Justice Task Force we continue to send a strong message to individuals who engage in drug trafficking resulting in death or great bodily injury that selling even one fentanyl pill will have significant consequences in the federal criminal justice system.”

“Drug traffickers operating on the darknet use encrypted communications and decentralized currency in an attempt to conceal their illicit trade, but the joint efforts announced today are evidence that their perceived anonymity is a myth,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to identify drug trafficking on the darknet, including sales of pills pressed with fentanyl, a poisonous ingredient that’s led to an unprecedented number of deaths in the United States each year.”

The 12 new cases being announced today are a result of the ongoing efforts of the Overdose Justice Task Force, a DEA-led project designed to investigate fatal fentanyl poisonings and identify the individuals who provided the fentanyl that directly caused the deaths. Under the Overdose Justice program for the DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division, DEA agents have established collaborative relationships with local law enforcement agencies across the seven counties that make up the Central District of California. Local authorities are almost always the first to respond to an overdose death, and DEA agents have provided training to dozens of local agencies to help them analyze evidence to determine if there are circumstances that might lead to a federal criminal prosecution.

Since the project’s launch in 2018, and including the cases announced today, the United States Attorney’s Office has filed charges against 64 defendants who allegedly sold drugs that resulted in a fatal fentanyl poisoning.

OVERDOSE JUSTICE TASK FORCE CASES

            The United States Attorney’s Office and the DEA today announced 12 cases that charged 13 defendants. Most of the defendants discussed below have entered not guilty pleas to the charges containing in indictments issued by federal grand juries.

• U.S. v. Benavides-Schorgi

Adrian Benavides-Schorgi, 22, of the Jefferson Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, is accused of selling counterfeit pills containing fentanyl that led to life-threatening overdoses of two 15-year-old girls in Santa Monica who thought they were buying ecstasy. Benavides-Schorgi was charged by a federal grand jury with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury for the alleged narcotics sale on May 24, 2022. Benavides-Schorgi was arrested on April 27, and he was ordered held without bond at a hearing the following day. A trial in this matter is scheduled for June 20. The DEA and the Santa Monica Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Beecher of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

• U.S. v. Galvan

Heriberto Galvan, 24, of North Hollywood, was arrested last week on charges of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, distribution and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm and a short-barrel rifle in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, and possession of an unregistered firearm. The indictment alleges that Galvan distributed fentanyl on December 4, 2021 to a 19-year-old man from La Cañada Flintridge who was found dead in his car the next day. Galvan allegedly distributed fentanyl in another transaction on January 19, 2022. A subsequent search of Galvan’s residence led to the discovery of more fentanyl and cocaine, along with a short-barrel AR-type “ghost gun.” Galvan was named in a six-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on May 5, and he was arrested later that day. Galvan was arraigned on Monday and was ordered held in custody without bond pending a trial scheduled for July 11. The DEA and the Glendale Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Alix McKenna of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

• U.S. v. Gutierrez

Juan Carlos Gutierrez, 32, of Montebello, was arrested on May 2 after being indicted on a charge of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. On December 9, 2022, Gutierrez distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 34-year-old man at a Long Beach drug treatment facility the next day. At his arraignment on May 5, Guiterrez was ordered held without bond, and a trial was scheduled for June 27. The DEA and the Long Beach Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda B. Elbogen of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Jeremy Beecher of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.

• U.S. v. Wendel and Villapania

Kaelen Jacobkeali Wendel, 31, of Lompoc, and Michael Villapania, 35, of Santa Barbara, were indicted on a charge of distributing fentanyl that led to the death of one jail inmate and serious bodily injury to a second. Early on October 20, 2022, two male inmates at the Santa Barbara Northern County Jail overdosed on fentanyl. Custody deputies and medical personnel at the jail administered CPR and Narcan on both inmates. They were able to save one inmate, “J.V.,” however, the second inmate, “E.E.,” did not survive. The investigation revealed that Wendel, a new inmate at the facility, brought fentanyl into the unit, and Villapania, who knew both Wendel and J.V., brokered a deal with J.V. in which Villapania allegedly sold some of the drugs in exchange for commissary items. J.V., in turn, allegedly shared some of the drugs with his cellmate, E.E., the inmate who died after ingesting the fentanyl. The indictment was filed on February 10, Villapania was arraigned on March 23, and Wendel was arraigned on April 24. Both men are being held without bond pending trial. The DEA and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Suria M. Bahadue of the Criminal Appeals Section is prosecuting this case.

• U.S. v. Cruz

Javier Carlos “Juvy” Cruz, 22, of Ontario, was arrested April 21 after being indicted on drug distribution and weapons charges. The five-count indictment alleges that Cruz sold fentanyl to an Ontario man on November 11, 2022. The 26-year-old victim died the next day, and a toxicologist determined that fentanyl toxicity was the cause of death. During the subsequent investigation by the DEA and the Ontario Police Department, Cruz was the subject of a search on December 27, 2022, which led to the discovery of fentanyl on his person and nearly 1,500 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. Investigators also seized three semiautomatic handguns from Cruz’s residence. The indictment charges Cruz with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Cruz is currently detained pending his June 13 trial date. Assistant United States Attorneys Pete Dahlquist and Miles J. Robinson of the Riverside Branch Office are prosecuting this case.

• U.S. v. Diaz

Luis Enrique Diaz, 22, of Victorville, was arrested April 21 after being indicted on charges of distributing fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 28-year-old Hesperia man. When contacted by law enforcement on April 10, 2021 – the day after the victim died – authorities allegedly recovered additional fake pills from Diaz’s person. The indictment charges Diaz with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession with the intent to distributed fentanyl. Diaz is currently detained pending a trial scheduled for June 13. This case is being investigated by the DEA and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Pete Dahlquist of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.

• U.S. v. Alvarado

Dominick Kingdiamond Alvarado, 22, of Tarzana, was arrested May 3 on charges of distributing fentanyl in form of fake Percocet pills that caused the deaths of an 18-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl. Alvarado allegedly sold fake pills laced with fentanyl to a group of young people in a transaction in Valencia on July 11, 2022. Two days later, an 18-year-old Santa Clarita resident was found dead by his brother. Ten days after the first death, Alvarado allegedly sold fake pills containing fentanyl to another group of teenagers at the same mall in Valencia where the prior transaction took place. Following this second sale, a 17-year-old girl died of fentanyl poisoning after ingesting the narcotics and suffering an overdose in a Santa Clarita park. Following his arrest, Alvarado was ordered held without bond, and a trial was scheduled for June 27. The DEA and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are conducting the investigation this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Alix McKenna and J'me K. Forrest of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.

• U.S. v. Brunfman

Kimber Brunfman, 26, of East Brunswick, New Jersey, was arrested on May 2, after being charged by a grand jury with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. The indictment alleges that Brunfman, in the days after Thanksgiving 2022, distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 26-year-old Thousand Oaks man. The investigation in this case revealed that Brunfman allegedly mailed the fentanyl from Philadelphia to the victim in California. Brunfman was ordered detained in New Jersey, and he is expected to be arraigned in Los Angeles in the coming weeks. The DEA and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Laura A. Alexander of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

• U.S. v. Villegas

Joshua Villegas, 25, of Torrance, was arrested April 21 pursuant to a federal grand jury indictment charging him with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. On May 30, 2020, Villegas allegedly distributed fentanyl, which resulted in the death of a person who lived in the same apartment complex. The investigation revealed that Villegas used Instagram to negotiate the drug deal. Following the arrest, a United States magistrate judge ordered Villegas jailed without bond. A jury trial in this matter is scheduled for June 13. The DEA and the Torrance Police Department are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Declan T. Conroy of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

• U.S. v. Campos

Edgar Arturo Campos, 27, of Coachella, was arrested March 13 on a federal grand jury indictment charging him with one count of distribution of fentanyl and cocaine resulting in death. On December 12, 2020, Campos allegedly sold cocaine and fentanyl to the 23-year-old victim, who ingested the drugs the next morning. The victim’s parents found her body in her bedroom in La Quinta. Evidence shows the victim and Campos allegedly negotiated a drug deal in the hours prior to her death. Campos is free on $35,000 bond. His trial is scheduled to start on August 15 in United States District Court in Riverside. The DEA and Riverside County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Stephen T. Merrill of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.

• U.S. v. Maya

Sergio Maya, 32, of Lake Elsinore, was indicted on March 29 and charged with one count of distribution of fluorofentanyl and fentanyl resulting in death. During the early morning hours May 26, 2022, the victim allegedly met with Maya to purchase fentanyl. The victim’s body was discovered by his roommate, who notified law enforcement. Toxicology tests indicated the presence of fentanyl and fluorofentanyl – a fentanyl analogue chemically similar to fentanyl – in the victim’s body. Maya is currently in state custody for an unrelated state criminal case. He will make his initial appearance in United States District Court in Riverside at the conclusion of the state criminal case. The DEA and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Stephen T. Merrill of the Riverside Branch Office is prosecuting this case.

• U.S. v. Varvara

John Nicholas Varvara, 31, of Mission Viejo, was arrested March 1 pursuant to a grand jury indictment that accuses him of distributing fentanyl resulting in death. The charge stems from a December 5, 2021 sale to a 27-year-old man who died at his father’s Huntington Beach residence two days later. A trial in this matter is scheduled for March 24, 2024. This matter is being investigated by the DEA and the Huntington Beach Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Nikki Elkerton of the Santa Ana Branch Office is prosecuting this case.

In relation to the pending cases noted above, indictments contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) Team

The final case being announced is the product of an investigation by the FBI under auspices of the FBI-led JCODE team, which the Justice Department established to lead and coordinate government efforts to detect, disrupt and dismantle major criminal enterprises reliant on the darknet for trafficking opioids and other illicit narcotics.

• U.S. v. Srinivasan

Rajiv Srinivasan, 37, of Houston, has agreed to plead guilty to distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, acknowledging that his drug trafficking activities caused at least three deaths.

In a plea agreement filed April 20, Srinivasan operated the account “redlightlabs” on multiple marketplaces on the dark web, where he advertised and sold fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. In addition to operating under the greater anonymity offered on the dark web, Srinivasan further admitted he tried to evade law enforcement by using encrypted messaging applications and asked for payment to be made in cryptocurrency.

Srinivasan admitted in the plea agreement that over approximately nine months in 2022, he and his co-defendant “engaged in at least 3,800 drug transactions with approximately 1,500 customers across the country, selling at least 123,688 pills resembling M30 pills which in fact contained fentanyl,” in addition to approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine and lesser quantities of fentanyl powder, black tar heroin, and cocaine.

Srinivasa admitted that the drug sales in 2022 directly led to fatal overdoses of three individuals who resided in Fort Collins, Colorado; The Villages, Florida; and Fayetteville, Arkansas. In the plea agreement, Srinivasan further admitted he and his co-defendant distributed fake pills to two other individuals – one in Livonia, Michigan; the other in Santa Cruz – “who died of drug overdoses shortly after receiving the fentanyl-laced pills.”

Srinivasan is scheduled to formally plead guilty on June 5 in United States District Court in Los Angeles. Following the entry of his guilty pleas to the two charges, Srinivasan will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a potential sentence of life without parole.

The second defendant charged by a federal grand jury in this case – Michael Ta, 24, of Westminster – is currently scheduled to go on trial on November 14.

Assistant United States Attorney Gregg E. Marmaro of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section is prosecuting this case.