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Fentanyl Trafficking Ring Busted in Western Pennsylvania
A massive fentanyl trafficking ring was busted in western Pennsylvania after a New York man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute the deadly opioid.
Hector Taveras, a 42-year-old resident of Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Taveras was stopped by Pennsylvania State Police on July 8, 2019, while traveling towards Pittsburgh on the Pennsylvania turnpike. Despite not being the owner of the vehicle, he was a passenger when police discovered a hidden compartment containing 1.3 kilograms of bulk fentanyl.
The hidden compartment, which was discovered after both Taveras and the driver, Juan Guzman, consented to a search, marked the beginning of the end for Taveras’s fentanyl trafficking operation. The 1.3 kilograms of fentanyl is equivalent to approximately 2,900 doses of the deadly opioid.
Taveras’s guilty plea comes with a heavy price. According to the law, he faces a total sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of $10,000,000, or both. However, the actual sentence imposed will be determined by the seriousness of the offenses and Taveras’s prior criminal history, if any.
Assistant United States Attorney Brian M. Czarnecki is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government, while the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Hector Taveras.
Judge Cathy Bissoon scheduled sentencing for January 6, 2022, and ordered Taveras to remain on bond pending sentencing. The guilty plea marks a significant victory in the ongoing battle against fentanyl trafficking in western Pennsylvania.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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