Omar Villarreal, Fentanyl Trafficking, Connecticut 2016
Fentanyl Trafficking Ring Busted in Connecticut
A California man has been charged with fentanyl trafficking offenses in Connecticut, according to a federal indictment.
Omar Villarreal, 26, of La Puente, California, was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, a controlled substance, and aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl.
The indictment alleges that Villarreal traveled to Connecticut from October to November 2016 and coordinated the transportation and delivery of the fentanyl shipment with Erick Crespo-Escalante.
On December 21, 2016, law enforcement officers stopped a tractor trailer in Route 34 in Derby, Connecticut, and found 25 kilograms of fentanyl in the cab. Crespo-Escalante was arrested and charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, fentanyl.
Villarreal has been detained since his arrest on May 15, 2017. He faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for the conspiracy charge and five years for the interstate commerce charge.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Spector.
U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt and that charges are only allegations until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Crespo-Escalante pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, fentanyl on April 4, 2017, and awaits sentencing.
Defendant: Omar Villarreal, 26, of La Puente, California
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, a controlled substance, and aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl
City and State: Bridgeport, Connecticut
Date: May 15, 2017
Sentence or Outcome: Currently detained, faces up to 20 years in prison
Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct/pr/indictment-charges-california-man-fentanyl-trafficking-offenses