South Florida Couple Arrested in Relation to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Distribution Resulting in Death of Baby

MIAMI – On March 7, Samantha Yi, 32, and Darnell Mendez, 31, of Lake Worth, had their initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in West Palm Beach on a criminal complaint charging Yi and Mendez with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and Yi with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Their arrests followed a long-term joint investigation by the Boynton Beach Police Department (BBPD), the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) after the death of a 10-month-old infant in Boynton Beach who ingested fentanyl.

According to allegations in the criminal complaint, on March 31, 2022, PBSO responded to a 911 call of an infant in distress. The infant was transported to Bethesda Hospital East in Boynton Beach, Florida with her mother. On April 1, 2022, the baby was transferred to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida. On April 5, 2022, the baby died. An autopsy conducted by the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner determined that the baby’s death was caused by fentanyl intoxication and that her manner of death was homicide. 

The BBPD conducted a homicide investigation during which law enforcement recovered fentanyl at the baby’s home. Investigation determined that the baby’s mother and father were addicts and had been abusing fentanyl regularly in the kitchen of their apartment. The investigation also determined that the baby was teething and ingested fentanyl on March 31, 2022, while in the care of her mother, and while her father was at work. The mother was arrested by the BBPD and charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child by culpable negligence.

DEA joined the investigation to identify the drug dealers that were responsible for the distribution of the fentanyl that killed the baby. Through data and information retrieved from the mother’s cellphone, law enforcement was able to identify YI as the drug dealer. The investigation uncovered months of electronic communications exchanged between YI and the mother involving drug transactions in which the mother was the customer. The investigation further determined that Yi’s boyfriend, Mendez was also involved in the distribution of fentanyl. As contained in the criminal complaint, Mendez has a history of controlled substance and violent crime offenses and may qualify as a career criminal. Investigators were able to determine that on March 30, 2022, the mother met with Yi in Boynton Beach, Florida to purchase fentanyl, and that fentanyl was ingested by the baby resulting in her death.

As part of the joint investigation, DEA, the BBPD, and PBSO conducted an operation involving two undercover officers who purchased fentanyl from Yi and Mendez. The undercover operation culminated in the arrests of Yi and Mendez on March 6, 2024, at their residence in Lake Worth, Florida.

In court, on March 7, 2024, the United States sought the pretrial detention of both YI and Mendez. The United States informed the Court that the couple is believed to be a risk of flight and danger to the community based upon the offenses described in the criminal complaint. Furthermore, the United States informed the Court that the couple was found in possession of 14 firearms in their home when they were arrested. Both Yi and Mendez are convicted felons.

Detention hearings are scheduled for Yi on March 12 and Mendez on March 14, respectively.   The arraignment and preliminary hearings are scheduled for March 21.

If convicted of the offenses charged in the criminal complaint, Yi faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years to a maximum sentence of life. Mendez faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of DEA, Chief Joe DeGiulio of BBPD, and Sheriff Ric Bradshaw of PBSO, announced the arrest and charges.

The Office of State Attorney Dave Aronberg for the 15^th Judicial Circuit – Palm Beach County provided invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam McMichael and Shannon O’Shea Darsch are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint contains allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-80041. 

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