A San Francisco woman who helped sell counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl has been sentenced to over 12 years in prison.
Candelaria Vazquez, 42, of San Francisco, pleaded guilty on November 8, 2016, to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and conspiracy to launder drug proceeds.
According to the plea agreement, Vazquez admitted that for two years, she and her husband operated a pill press that generated thousands of fake oxycodone pills. Although stamped to appear like genuine oxycodone, the pills were in fact laced with fentanyl.
Vazquez helped with the pill pressing operation and packaged, mailed, and delivered fentanyl pills for two years before the pair was arrested on June 10, 2016.
She also conspired to launder the drug proceeds, which were received in bitcoin and exchanged for cash using unlicensed bitcoin brokers.
“Fentanyl is a potent drug that can be deadly for users,” said acting U.S. Attorney Alex Tse. “Today’s sentence is just and reflects the grave danger when, as in this case, Fentanyl was used as an ingredient in counterfeit prescription medicines.
On June 21, 2016, a federal grand jury indicted Vazquez charging her with conspiracy to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C).
Vazquez was sentenced in absentia to 151 months in prison, plus a three-year period of supervised release. She will begin serving the sentence upon her apprehension.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspector, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Internal Revenue Service.
This case is the product of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a focused multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force investigating and prosecuting the most significant drug trafficking organizations throughout the United States.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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