Man Stopped in St. Louis County Accused of Fentanyl Trafficking

ST. LOUIS – A man was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Wednesday on fentanyl distribution charges.

The indictment accuses Alejandro Chacon-Martinez, 20, of possession with the intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing fentanyl on July 17. A criminal complaint filed July 18 says Chacon-Martinez was stopped the day before at a gas station in Fenton, Missouri as he was traveling east on Interstate 44 in a car with a Mexican license plate. A K-9 detected the odor of drugs and investigators found ten individually wrapped kilograms of suspected fentanyl concealed in side panels in the trunk of the car Chacon-Martinez was driving, the complaint says.

The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine or both.

Charges set forth in an indictment or a criminal complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and St. Louis County Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dane Rennier is prosecuting the case.