California Man, Woman Indicted for Transporting Multi-kilos of Meth, Fentanyl Through KC

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tom Larson, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a California man and woman were indicted by a federal grand jury today for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute multi-kilos of methamphetamine and fentanyl (a synthetic form of heroin), which was confiscated during an interdiction at a local bus terminal.

Edgar Israel Reyes-Toscano, 44, and Vanessa Sanchez, 44, both of Bakersfield, Calif., were charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against both defendants on July 6, 2017.

The indictment alleges that Reyes-Toscano and Sanchez participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. In addition to the conspiracy, Reyes-Toscano and Sanchez are charged together in one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Reyes-Toscano and Sanchez were arrested on July 5, 2017, at a local bus terminal. They had traveled together, the affidavit says, on a bus that originated in Los Angeles, Calif. Reyes-Toscano’s bus ticket bore a final destination of St. Louis, Mo. A Kansas City, Mo., police detective searched his duffel bag and noticed a white cardboard box secured with clear package tape. Upon opening the lid of the box, the detective observed a large bundle wrapped in clear cellophane wrap. The detective also found a gift-wrapped package in the duffel bag that contained three bundles wrapped in clear cellophane wrap. According to the affidavit, those packages were later determined to contain a total of 2,380 grams of methamphetamine and 3,540 grams of fentanyl

Another Kansas City, Mo., police detective noticed Sanchez, carrying a bag on her shoulder, walk past while intensely staring at what was transpiring between Reyes-Toscano and the detective. The detective had seen Sanchez exit the bus with Reyes-Toscano, and noticed that the bag she carried over her shoulder appeared to have a heavy, rectangular-shaped box in it.

Sanchez entered the women’s restroom and when she came back out, her bag no longer appeared to have a heavy rectangular box within. Sanchez immediately exited the bus terminal, walked out to the loading platform and sat down on a bench. While the detective questioned Sanchez, a third detective searched the women’s restroom and found a rectangular gift-wrapped package in the trashcan. According to the affidavit, the package, wrapped in the same gift wrap as the package carried by Reyes-Toscano, contained three bundles wrapped in clear cellophane wrap for a total of 2,410 grams of methamphetamine.

Larson cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.