A 28-year-old resident of Mercedes, Texas, Bryan Alexis Cedillo, was indicted on charges related to a death linked to the use of fentanyl, according to a July 24 announcement. Cedillo made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis in McAllen, where he was ordered into custody pending further proceedings.
During the hearing, information was presented that Cedillo allegedly sold narcotics to another individual, which resulted in death. The court also heard allegations that Cedillo continued selling narcotics after learning about the victim’s passing.
The indictment returned on July 21 alleges that Cedillo possessed with intent to deliver fentanyl that resulted in death. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and up to life in federal prison and could be subject to a maximum fine of $1 million.
The investigation was conducted by Weslaco Police Department with assistance from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarina S. DiPiazza is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct and not evidence; defendants are presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas has offices across Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville; it employs more than 200 attorneys covering 43 counties with a population exceeding nine million people; it prosecutes federal crimes and handles civil cases for the government as part of the Department of Justice under the Attorney General, according to its official website. Notable former leaders include Alamdar Hamdani and Ryan Patrick as listed on its official history page.