High School Fentanyl Sales Exposed in Monterey County

SAN JOSE, California – In a disturbing case of fentanyl distribution targeting high school students, three individuals have been charged with federal crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Wade R. Shannon.

The defendants, Benjamin Reily Bliss, Louis Alexander, and Brandon William Carranza-Arthur, appeared in court to face their respective charges. According to the criminal complaints, the investigation into drug distribution to high schoolers in the area began as early as October of 2021 but took a turn after a 15-year-old Pacific Grove resident suffered a fatal overdose on or about March 5, 2022.

Evidence collected at the scene of the overdose established that the juvenile overdosed from inhaling the smoke from a pulverized counterfeit “M30” pill. Subsequent investigation resulted in the complaints that allege Bliss, 18, of Carmel; Carranza, 19, of Monterey; and Alexander, 19, of Monterey, each played a role in distributing drugs to high school students in Monterey County.

The complaint against Bliss alleges that as part of the investigation into the deadly overdose, law enforcement interviewed a second juvenile who also overdosed, but survived. Text messages from the surviving juvenile’s cell phone established that on March 20, 2022, Bliss provided transportation for the juvenile. Specifically, Bliss picked up the surviving juvenile and provided a ride to San Francisco, where the juvenile purchased a baggie containing fentanyl in the form of a multicolored powdery/rocky substance. The juvenile allegedly paid $250 for the drugs which, after using, resulted in a non-fatal overdose on March 23, 2022.

The complaint against Alexander alleges that he used Snapchat to advertise, offer, and sell fentanyl-based counterfeit oxycodone and Xanax pills to high school students in the Monterey area. In October 2021, one of the juveniles he is believed to have supplied suffered a non-fatal overdose. While the juvenile overdose victim was recovering in the hospital, the juvenile’s mother discovered Snapchat messages on a cellular phone that the juvenile used. The Snapchat messages were about drug sales and were between the juvenile and a person named “lulu.” According to the complaint, law enforcement personnel later identified “lulu” as Alexander.

Similarly, the complaint filed against Carranza alleges that law enforcement personnel obtained text messages between Carranza and a juvenile establishing Carranza played a role in supplying drugs to high school students. According to the complaint, Carranza provided information regarding how a student should take counterfeit prescription drugs. The complaint describes numerous text messages in which a juvenile admits he was having intense cravings for drugs and Carranza negotiates the price and quantity of pills that could be supplied. In one exchange, the juvenile offers to pay Carranza $60 for $50 worth of pills if Carranza would front the money; the juvenile explained that the arrangement would provide sufficient time to arrange the sale of a cell phone to finance the transaction. According to the complaint, Carranza ultimately arranged for the juvenile to obtain the drugs.

In sum, Bliss is charged with aiding and abetting distribution of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(c) and 18 U.S.C. § 2. While Carranza and Alexander are charged with unlawfully using, or causing to be used, the Internet to advertise, or to offer to sell or distribute a controlled substance.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, with assistance from the DEA.

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