Jail Time For Man Busted With Enough Fentanyl To Kill 2.4M In NJ

NEW JERSEY – A California man who was previously charged with attempting to supply New Jersey with enough drugs to kill 2.4 million – roughly one-third of the state's population has been sentenced to seven years in state prison, federal authorities announced.

Jesus Zavala-Torres, 35, of San Jacinto, California, previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig.

Zavala-Torres was also sentenced to five years of supervised release.

He and Isabel Otanez-Sanchez, also of San Jacinto, California, were previously arrested for their roles in shipping more than 30 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and conspiring to send an additional 5 kilos – or 11 pounds – of fentanyl into New Jersey. Read more here: NJ Fentanyl Bust: Enough Doses To Kill An Estimated 2.4 Million

Authorities first learned that an individual known as "Pancho," later identified as Sanchez, was shipping large quantities of narcotics from California to New Jersey in September 2018, according to documents filed in the case and statements made in court.

On Jan. 28, 2019, Sanchez agreed to send 30 pounds of methamphetamine to a law enforcement confidential source in Atlantic City, authorities said.

Torres and Sanchez hid 28 packages of methamphetamine inside a salvaged vehicle that was shipped to New Jersey from California via a car carrier service, according to authorities.

Agents recovered the approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine from the car's gas tank, authorities said.

That source then met with Sanchez and Torres in Riverside, Burlington County, to pay for the methamphetamine on Feb. 12, 2019, authorities said.

At that time, Sanchez and Torres also agreed to sell an additional five kilos of fentanyl to the source. It would be shipped in the same way the methamphetamine was, authorities said.

After agreeing to the sale, Torres left the meeting to retrieve two kilos of fentanyl to show to the source prior to shipment.

As Torres was driving back to the meeting, he was stopped by local law enforcement officers, who recovered 2 kilos of fentanyl from the car, authorities said.

Honig credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Cherry Hill, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing. She also thanked HSI in Riverside, CA; the New Jersey State Police; the Hemet, California, Police Department; and the Atlantic City Task Force for their assistance.