Micco, Brevard County Resident Sentenced to 15 years for Trafficking Fentanyl in Indian River County

MIAMI – Yesterday, Christopher Jon Bauer, 46, of Micco, Florida, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon, sitting in Fort Pierce, to 15 years for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Sebastian Police Department (SPD) received a Treasure Coast Crime Stopper complaint about Bauer making fentanyl purchases on the dark web and mailing them to a codefendant. After the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) confirmed that several packages were mailed to a codefendant in Sebastian, Florida; SPD officers and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents set up surveillance at a U.S. Post Office (USPS), located in Sebastian. During the surveillance, they observed that Bauer had arrived in a red Cadillac SUV, with a passenger, who went into the post office and returned to Bauer’s vehicle carrying a USPS Express package. When SPD detectives attempted to stop the vehicle, Bauer fled, leading police on a lengthy high-speed pursuit, which resulted in the vehicle becoming disabled. SPD officers apprehended Bauer and the passenger of the vehicle and took both into custody. The total quantities of narcotics seized following Bauer’s arrest were about 65 grams of fentanyl, 12.53 grams of methamphetamine, and a small amount of cocaine. Bauer received at least 16 shipments of fentanyl, totaling nearly one kilogram.

U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, and Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, announced the sentence.

HSI Fort Pierce Office and USPIS Miami investigated the case, with assistance from SPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hudock prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-14068.

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