A Los Angeles man was sentenced to life in federal prison for selling fentanyl that caused the death of a Vero Beach resident, according to a July 31 announcement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. Alfonso Guerrero, 39, received his sentence from U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon after being convicted in May of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
“This was not a small drug deal. It was a deadly one. Guerrero sold the fentanyl that killed his friend and, just two days later, was caught carrying more fentanyl for distribution. Today’s life sentence is the consequence of that deadly conduct and his long record of violence and crime. Together with the DEA and our local law enforcement partners, we will trace fatal doses back to the dealers who sold them and hold those dealers fully accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida.
According to court records presented at trial, Guerrero sold 0.1 gram of fentanyl—known as “a point”—in Indian River County on May 16, 2023, exchanging it for another controlled substance called “molly.” The transaction was recorded on a doorbell camera at David Eller’s home; Eller died hours later from an overdose inside his residence where investigators found drug paraphernalia near his body.
Two days after Eller’s death, authorities arrested Guerrero with additional quantities of fentanyl intended for distribution. Prosecutors highlighted Guerrero’s criminal history, including documented gang membership and prior convictions involving attempted robbery with a firearm in California, aggravated assault in Georgia, as well as cocaine and fentanyl possession offenses in Florida.
The case involved collaboration between federal agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration Miami Field Division and local officers from Indian River County Sheriff’s Office (IRCSO). Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Reiter and Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam McMichael prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida oversees an area spanning about 15,197 square miles across nine counties serving more than seven million residents; it includes branch offices throughout Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Fort Pierce and Key West; employs over 223 assistant attorneys along with special assistants and support staff; prosecutes federal criminal cases; collects certain debts on behalf of federal agencies; all under authority granted by its parent agency within the Department of Justice, according to its official website.