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Hector Perez Valenzuela, Fentanyl Trafficking, Fayetteville NC, 2019
A federal jury in North Carolina has convicted Hector Perez Valenzuela, age 34, for his role in the theft of seven kilograms of fentanyl with an estimated value of more than $250,000 from a Fayetteville stash house.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Valenzuela and his co-conspirators planned to make the theft look like a burglary and sell the drugs, dividing the profits. The fentanyl was then transported to several cities, including Chicago, Atlanta, and Baltimore.
On November 7, 2019, Valenzuela and co-conspirator Kittisack Sam Vorana traveled from the west coast to Fayetteville, breaking into the apartment and taking 7 kilograms of fentanyl and approximately 3,000 fentanyl pills. They then drove back to the west coast in a rented Dodge Caravan.
Valenzuela and Vorana were stopped for speeding in St. Charles County, Missouri, and a search of the vehicle revealed a toolbox containing seven brick-like packages wrapped in electrical tape and covered in grease to evade detection. A key to the toolbox was found in Valenzuela’s pocket.
Each kilogram of fentanyl was valued at approximately $38,000, making the total value of the stolen fentanyl more than $250,000. The packages were tested by a DEA laboratory and found to contain more than seven kilograms of fentanyl.
Valenzuela was convicted of both counts with which he was charged: conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl (Count One) and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and aiding and abetting (Count Two). He faces up to 40 years’ imprisonment at sentencing.
Co-conspirators Kittisack Sam Vorana and John Ellingson have previously pleaded guilty to fentanyl conspiracy charges and are awaiting sentencing. The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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