Honduran Nationals Accused of Fentanyl Ring

Fentanyl Traffickers Busted in Charlotte County

Fort Myers, Florida – In a major blow to the fentanyl trade, two Honduran nationals have been arrested in Charlotte County for their alleged involvement in a large-scale fentanyl distribution ring.

Noe Armando Melendez-Amador (35, Honduras) and Carlos Damian Acosta-Melendez (28, Honduras) were taken into custody on June 7, 2024, after an undercover operation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

According to court records, Melendez-Amador negotiated with a DEA agent to purchase approximately 15,000 pills of fentanyl, which were valued at nearly four pounds in total. The pills bore the counterfeit marking “M 30,” giving them the appearance of pharmaceutical grade oxycodone pills.

Melendez-Amador traveled from Denver, Colorado, to Charlotte County, Florida, accompanied by Acosta-Melendez to conduct the drug transaction. The duo was arrested upon their arrival, and the fentanyl was seized by authorities.

Melendez-Amador has been charged with possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Acosta-Melendez faces charges of illegal re-entry by a previously deported alien and prior convicted felon, with a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

The case was investigated by the DEA and the United States Customs and Border Protection. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael V. Leeman and Trenton Reichling.

A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.