Oregon Man Charged with Possessing Counterfeit OxyContin Pills Containing Fentanyl

FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Jose Antonio Nunez De Jesus, 27, of Portland, Oregon, charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of fentanyl with the intent to distribute, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, a law enforcement officer on routine patrol saw that the vehicle being driven by Nunez De Jesus had committed a traffic violation. After pulling the vehicle over, a narcotics K-9 alerted to the odor of a controlled substance in the vehicle. Officers found approximately 34,020 counterfeit OxyContin pills that weighed a total of 7.5 pounds. Nunez De Jesus told the officer that he had picked up what he believed to be drugs in Los Angeles at the request of a friend and was returning to Oregon with the pills. A presumptive test of the pills showed that they were fentanyl.

This case is the product of an investigation by the California Highway Patrol and the Fresno High Intensity Investigation Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Nunez De Jesus faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years to life in prison and a fine up to $10 million. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.