A California man was charged in federal court after receiving a shipment of one kilogram of suspected fentanyl while staying in Cleveland.
Alan Gabriel Barba-Sanchez, 30, of San Diego, was charged with one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
According to an affidavit filed in the case:
A Cuyahoga County Deputy Sheriff seized a parcel containing one kilogram of fentanyl in Middelburg Heights on January 11. Homeland Security agents were contacted to do a controlled delivery of the package, which was addressed to 5400 Tillman Ave. in Cleveland.
An undercover agent delivered the package later that day. About an hour later, an individual later identified as Barba-Sanchez walked up to the front porch of the residence, picked up the package and carried it inside. Barba-Sanchez left the residence approximately 13 minutes later and walked south on West 54th Street.
Barba-Sanchez was arrested. He was carrying three iPhones, approximately $2,000 in cash and a key to a downtown hotel at the time of his arrest.
“When you look at the streets and neighborhoods of this district, fentanyl has had the same effect as a weapon of mass destruction," U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “This seizure has already saved lives in Northeast Ohio, and law enforcement will continue prosecuting those who traffic in deadly narcotics while working with other partners to make help available for people who want it."
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This case is being investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Cronin.
A charge is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
