A San Diego man pleaded guilty to federal charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine after admitting he supplied a fatal dose of fentanyl to a 24-year-old woman in 2020.
Cole Thomas Salazar, 32, used an online classified advertisement service to sell controlled substances, according to a June 21 news release by U.S. Customs and Immigration. The victim, identified in court documents as S.E.F., communicated with Salazar online before he sold her the fentanyl Nov. 2, 2020. It was reported she died from ingesting the fentanyl.
"We can’t lose sight of the fact that powdered fentanyl – which caused the death in this case – is extremely dangerous. To those drug dealers who would sell fentanyl in all its forms: Know that federal law enforcement will hold you accountable for any deaths that your sales cause,” U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said in the release.
Salazar was arrested Jan. 10, 2021, the news release said. Officers found packages of heroin and fentanyl when he was taken into custody. The release reported a search of Salazar's hotel room "resulted in the discovery of numerous quantities of controlled substances, including more fentanyl and dealer-related paraphernalia such as scales, baggies and pay and owe sheets."
Salazar and his co-defendant, Valerie Lynn Addison, 40, who also pleaded guilty to the same charges, will be sentenced Sept. 16, the release reported. The case was featured in the HBO documentary, “The Crime of the Century."
“These guilty pleas are the result of joint efforts between Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s office, working tirelessly to identify criminals who profit from selling lethal drugs in the San Diego community,” Chad Plantz, special agent in charge of HSI San Diego, said in the release.
