Two Miami-Dade County Residents Sentenced for Conspiring to Possess with Intent to Distribute Hydromorphone

On November 28, 2017, Oreste Abreu, 50, of Hialeah, was sentenced to 51 months imprisonment, and Daniel Lezcano-Morejon, 39, of Hialeah, to 46 months imprisonment, for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute the opioid hydromorphone. 

Benjamin G. Greenberg, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Adolphus P. Wright, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Juan J. Perez, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), made the announcement. 

Abreu and Lezcano-Morejon previously pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute hydromorphone.  Hydromorphone, sold under the brand name Diluadid, is an opioid that has contributed to the current crisis involving this class of drugs.

Between March 21, 2012 and August 16, 2012, DEA, in coordination with MDPD, conducted controlled purchases of hydromorphone pills from Abreu and Lezcano-Morejon.  During this period, on various occasions, an undercover MDPD detective purchased hydromorphone pills from Abreu, typically at Abreu’s south Florida residence.  Specifically, on March 21, 2012, the undercover officer purchased 100 pills from Abreu for $1,200; on April 18, 2012, the undercover officer purchased 200 pills from Abreu for $2,400; and on May 31, 2012, the undercover officer purchased 200 pills from Abreu for $2,600.  On each of these occasions, Lezcano-Morejon supplied Abreu the hydromorphone pills.  In addition, on July 6, 2012, the undercover officer purchased 100 hydromorphone pills from Abreu for $1,300 at a Wal-Mart parking lot in Hialeah; and on August 16, 2012, the undercover officer purchased 230 hydromorphone pills from Abreu for $3,000 at Abreu’s residence. 

During that same time, law enforcement also intercepted Abreu’s phone conversations.  The interceptions often involved Abreu requesting pills from either Lezcano-Morejon or other drug sources-of-supply for further illicit distribution.

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the DEA and MDPD.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Brady.

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 on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov