Jose Luis Pineda Torres, Fentanyl Possession with Intent to Distribute, New Jersey 2023

NEWARK, N.J. - A Washington state man has admitted to possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, marking a major blow to the opioid epidemic plaguing the nation.

J Jose Luis Pineda Torres, 48, of Monroe, Washington, pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute on May 20, 2024, in U.S. District Judge William J. Martini's court in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in the case, on February 15, 2023, Pineda Torres traveled to a warehouse in Secaucus, New Jersey, where individuals loaded boxes into his vehicle. The boxes contained powder and more than 20,000 pills containing fentanyl, weighing in at over 6 kilograms.

Pineda Torres's guilty plea comes after a lengthy investigation by special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, led by Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz. The case against Pineda Torres is now set to proceed to sentencing, with the defendant facing a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordann R. Conaboy of the U.S. Attorney's Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark. Sentencing is scheduled for October 29, 2024.

Pineda Torres's guilty plea is a significant development in the ongoing fight against fentanyl trafficking. The opioid epidemic has claimed countless lives in recent years, and law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice.

As we continue to report on this developing story, our thoughts are with the families and loved ones affected by this tragic epidemic.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/washington-state-man-admits-possessing-fentanyl-intent-distribute