Jose Manuel Arellano-Noriega, a 37-year-old Mexican national residing in Phoenix, was apprehended on Monday and charged with Possession with the Intent to Distribute More than 400 Grams of Fentanyl. The arrest took place following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force.
The complaint states that investigators were in the vicinity of 43rd Avenue and McDowell Road in Phoenix when they noticed a red Fiat 500 exceeding the speed limit by traveling at approximately 55 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone. This led to a traffic stop where Arellano-Noriega was identified as the driver through his Mexican passport. A police canine conducted an open-air sniff and indicated narcotics were present in the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle revealed a black backpack containing a loaded semi-automatic 9mm handgun. During a post-Miranda interview, Arellano-Noriega admitted ownership of the firearm and disclosed possession of significant quantities of fentanyl pills and powder at his apartment. He provided both verbal and written consent for investigators to search his residence, specifying where these substances were located.
At Arellano-Noriega’s apartment, investigators confiscated seven bricks weighing over 7,800 grams of white powder that tested positive for fentanyl. Additionally, they seized around 100,000 blue pills weighing about 12,146 grams which also tested positive for fentanyl.
The charge against him carries severe penalties: "Possession with the Intent to Distribute More than 400 grams of Fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000,000."
It is important to note that "a criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt." Every individual is considered innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt before a jury.
The DEA Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force led this investigation while Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Zander from District of Arizona, Phoenix will handle prosecution proceedings.