Today, the Office of Statewide Prosecution under Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a significant legal outcome in the fight against drug trafficking. A fentanyl supplier, Jazzmeen Underdue Montanez, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role as a key figure in a Central Florida drug trafficking organization.
The investigation revealed that Montanez was the highest-ranking member of an organization dealing in fentanyl mixed with xylazine and cocaine. "Fentanyl is the deadliest drug we’ve ever faced as a state—when combined with xylazine, it is even more lethal," stated Attorney General James Uthmeier. He praised Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Jenniza Rosado for her efforts in securing the sentence and expressed gratitude towards law enforcement partners.
Montanez was responsible for supplying narcotics to other members who distributed them at street level. The investigation led to the recovery of over 20 grams of fentanyl from various organization members and an additional 500 grams from a traffic stop, which coincided with communications involving Montanez. This quantity could potentially kill 260,000 Floridians.
Montanez pled guilty to conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl 28 grams or more.