Law Enforcement Officers Seize Nine Kilos of Heroin, One Kilo of Fentanyl, from Defendant
A man who was in residing in the United States illegally has been sentenced to federal prison.
53-year-old Pablo Vega-Ontanon, an illegal alien from Mexico who was living in Georgia, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 74 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was facing charges for possession with intent to distribute heroin, according to U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
The Justice Department says that on November 6, 2018, Vega-Ontanon and two co-defendants arrived in Gulfport to sell heroin to a confidential informant. They claimed to have ten kilograms of heroin hidden in a compartment of their vehicle. All three were arrested shortly thereafter. The substance was eventually tested and found to contain nine kilograms of heroin and one kilogram of fentanyl.
Authorities say that one kilogram of fentanyl can produce half a million fatal doses.
Vega-Ontanon was indicted on November 27, 2018 along with co-defendants Eder Ortega- Casarrubias and Eric Estudillo-Carrazco.
Co-defendant Eder Ortega-Cassarubias pled guilty earlier this year and was sentenced on June 26, 2019, by Judge Ozerden, to 127 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
Co-defendant Estudillo-Carrazco pled guilty on August 28, 2019, and will be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on November 27, 2019. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie.
Information from the US Department of Justice.
