Woman Helps Nab Suspected San Jose Drug Dealer After Brother's Overdose
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- A South Bay woman went looking for justice after her brother's deadly overdose.
According to court documents, her brother Justin Saens died on April 13th of an apparent overdose shortly after buying street drugs in a San Jose supermarket parking lot.
The victim's sister went through his cellphone and found a recent text message exchange between her brother and the apparent drug dealer talking about "Norco" pills.
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The message reads: "My homegirl still have the pills if u want them" and then Saens replied, "could u hook up 6 pills for $40." Another text came in from the suspected drug dealer later that said "I have more Narcos if u wanted to get any."
The sister, who did not want to be identified, called police and agreed to help them in a sting operation with federal drug agents by luring the dealer to a Weinerschnitzel fast food restaurant parking lot on North Capitol Avenue.
Agents arrested the alleged dealer - Andy Thuan Luong - and charged him with distribution of drugs. He's being held pending a $50,000 bond and could soon be released to a drug treatment facility.
Both Luong's defense attorney and the federal prosecutor assigned to the case left the courthouse after a custody hearing without comment.
But the case is being watched closely by public health officials.
Investigators are awaiting toxicology reports to determine if the pills that killed Justin Saens were laced with Fentanyl -- a potent, synthetic pain killer.
Last month, health officials issued an alert about counterfeit Norco pills in the Sacramento area that led to 12 deaths and 52 overdoses in just a 48 hour period.