An indictment has been revealed against Abner Estrada Cruz, a 25-year-old Honduran national, for his alleged involvement in fentanyl trafficking. Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced the charges, which include conspiracy to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl and seven counts of distributing the drug.
Estrada Cruz was extradited from Honduras to face these charges in the United States. The case is part of a two-year investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) into a drug trafficking organization operating out of Honduras, San Francisco, and Portland. During this investigation, over 16 pounds of fentanyl powder were seized in California from co-conspirators linked to Estrada Cruz.
His alleged role as operations manager involved managing orders and deliveries for the organization across multiple locations. His co-conspirators Yahir Alexander Arteaga Cruz, Carlos Samir Colindrez-Erazo, and Aronis Jose Hernandez Aguilar have also been charged separately in California.
The DEA's investigation received support from several agencies including the California Department of Justice Bureau of Investigation Fentanyl Task Force, FBI, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, and others. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron L. Desmond is handling prosecution duties.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs coordinated with Honduran authorities to facilitate Estrada Cruz's arrest and extradition.
If convicted on conspiracy charges related to fentanyl distribution, Estrada Cruz could face life imprisonment and a $10 million fine. Sentencing will depend on statutory factors and Federal Sentencing Guidelines after conviction. Currently, all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative aimed at dismantling major criminal organizations within California's Eastern District through collaboration among various law enforcement agencies.