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Heroin Smuggler Brought Deadly Dose to Delaware
Wilmington, Del. – In a shocking revelation, Uriel Erendira Nava, age 42, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin. This conviction marks a significant blow to the growing heroin epidemic in Delaware.
According to the indictment and statements made in open court, Nava and co-conspirator Ana Sanchez were part of a larger criminal organization based out of California and Mexico, trafficking in multiple drugs, including heroin. In August 2016, Nava and Sanchez drove from California in order to deliver three kilograms of heroin to a Delaware buyer in a prearranged sale.
The three kilograms of heroin, hidden in the gas tank of the vehicle driven by Nava and discovered by the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) in the course of its investigation, represents one of the largest single seizures of heroin in Delaware to date.
As Acting United States Attorney David C. Weiss stated, “As heroin infiltrates our community, we will fight back.” With the dedicated work of the DEA’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (“HIDTA”) Group, they continue to make the investigation and prosecution of heroin traffickers a top priority.
Nava’s plea is the first conviction resulting from a DEA Group 41 HIDTA investigation that included collaboration with DEA Philadelphia and DEA Sacramento.
The New Castle County HIDTA, part of the Philadelphia-Camden HIDTA, is a collaborative effort established in January 2015 among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in Delaware. The DEA HIDTA Group 41 includes members from the following agencies: DEA, Delaware State Police, New Castle County Police Department, Newark Police Department, Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, Delaware Department of Corrections – Probation and Parole, and the Delaware Attorney General’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Whitney Cloud and Jennifer K. Welsh are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Nava’s guilty plea has significant implications for the community, as it highlights the severity of the heroin epidemic in Delaware. With the continued efforts of law enforcement agencies, the public can expect to see more convictions and a decrease in heroin-related crimes.
Nava is expected to face the consequences of his actions, and his plea serves as a warning to others involved in similar activities.
Key Facts
- State: Delaware
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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