Markenzy Lapointe U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida
On January 30, a federal district judge in West Palm Beach, Florida sentenced Anthony Raul Del Valle, aged 29, from Lake Worth Beach, Florida, to ten years in federal prison. This decision followed a federal jury's verdict that found Del Valle guilty of distributing acetyl fentanyl and fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime in November 2024.
The case stems from an incident on April 8, 2024, when Del Valle distributed pills that appeared to be oxycodone but were actually fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl to three family members in Lantana, Florida. The recipients ingested the pills immediately after receiving them. Tragically, two of the family members died within two hours of taking the drugs.
Del Valle was identified and arrested by law enforcement on April 10, 2024. His arrest followed a controlled purchase operation conducted by agents who subsequently recovered a loaded firearm from him.
U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division announced the sentencing.
The DEA's Miami Field Division led the investigation with support from various agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Office; Lantana Police Department; Boynton Beach Police Department; and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Shannon O’Shea Darsch and Alexandra Chase prosecuted the case.
According to the DEA’s National Drug Threat Assessment report, synthetic drugs like fentanyl pose significant risks as they are potent enough to cause death even in small amounts. Fentanyl is described as being up to fifty times stronger than heroin and one hundred times stronger than morphine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that synthetic opioids are frequently involved in overdose deaths across various demographics.
Florida has experienced a rise in overdose cases related to fentanyl use. In 2022 alone, over 5,622 fatalities were attributed to overdoses involving fentanyl or its analogs within the state.
Further information can be accessed through resources provided by relevant authorities including websites maintained by both state departments and national health organizations.
