Two California men have been sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Authorities identified the men as Zeshan Malik Fayyaz and Lener Daneski Jairon-Solis. An undercover operation in October 2022 revealed their involvement in fentanyl sales.
Documents filed with the Court established that on October 8, 2022, a cooperating source, along with a Mobile County Sheriff's Deputy acting in an undercover capacity, agreed to meet the two defendants in Mobile County to purchase 2 kilograms of fentanyl for $38,000 per kilogram.
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When the men arrived at the meet location, Jairon-Solis got out of the vehicle and went into the back seat of the vehicle and opened a suitcase, and removed two kilograms of fentanyl in exchange for the cash.
Law enforcement had arranged for the cash to appear to contain $76,000 by putting $100 bills on the outside and mostly $1 bills on the inside, but in fact, it was less than $10,000.
During the operation, law enforcement observed what appeared to be more drugs in the suitcase. The vehicle was followed from the location and later stopped by law enforcement and officers recovered an additional three kilograms of fentanyl from the vehicle as well as the undercover buy money.
The defendants were planning to deliver the additional three kilograms to Pensacola, Florida.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid significantly more potent than heroin. It is a major contributor to the national opioid epidemic, causing a surge in overdose deaths.
United States Attorney Sean P. Costello commended the investigators for their hard work and dedication in removing 5 kilograms of the deadly drug fentanyl from the community. Costello added that 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose, and thus, this seizure surely saved many lives given the fentanyl overdose epidemic facing the nation.
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