Abelardo Avila Gomez, a Mexican national who was previously deported from the United States, appeared in federal court on charges related to the alleged trafficking of 37 pounds of fentanyl from an apartment in Brookhaven, Georgia.
“Avila Gomez allegedly trafficked a staggering amount of deadly fentanyl stored in his metro Atlanta apartment,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Diligent efforts by our law enforcement partners stopped this illegal alien and removed his lethal stash from our streets.”
“With the seizure of 17.9 kilograms of fentanyl, our agents have removed an extraordinary amount of deadly poison from the streets,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Fentanyl is measured in milligrams, not grams and this quantity had the potential to cause catastrophic harm. Through the Fentanyl Free America campaign, DEA and our law enforcement partners are aggressively targeting every level of the supply chain. Our mission is to save lives and protect our communities from those who profit off addiction and death.”
According to information presented by U.S. Attorney Hertzberg and detailed in a criminal complaint filed in federal court, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents executed a search warrant at a Brookhaven apartment on February 19, 2026. Inside they found approximately 37 pounds (about 17.9 kilograms) of fentanyl packaged as rectangular-shaped “bricks.” Avila Gomez was arrested outside the apartment and reportedly admitted living there, illegally reentering the United States in March 2023 after being deported in November 2014, and participating in distributing fentanyl.
Further investigation indicated that Avila Gomez is a citizen of Mexico without legal status in the United States.
Avila Gomez, age 46 and originally from Acapulco, Mexico, has been charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and illegal re-entry after removal.
Authorities emphasized that these are only allegations at this stage; Avila Gomez is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The case is being investigated by multiple agencies including the DEA along with local police departments such as Atlanta Police Department and Doraville Police Department as well as several sheriff’s offices across Georgia.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James Hwang is leading prosecution efforts for this case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative aimed at addressing illegal immigration issues as well as targeting drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations.
Theodore S. Hertzberg currently serves as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia (official website). The office prioritizes cases involving threats like terrorism, human trafficking, civil rights violations (official website), enforces federal criminal laws while representing government interests (official website), coordinates cases with national or international impact (official website), covers an area serving about 7.5 million residents across northern Georgia (official website), and acts as principal federal law enforcement agency within its district (official website).
For more information about drug dangers or prevention resources parents can visit www.justthinktwice.gov.
