'Putting poison into the hands of teenagers,' man linked to string of fentanyl overdoses pleads guilty
DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas) - Jason Xavier Villanueva, a drug trafficker linked to a string of juvenile fentanyl overdoses in North Texas, has pleaded guilty to multiple drug crimes.
The 22-year-old was charged via criminal complaint in February and indicted later that same month. On June 13, Villanueva pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl to someone under 21 years of age.
"Over and over, Mr. Villanueva put poison into the hands of teenagers who could not possibly comprehend the inherent risks. Not even the news of multiple teenage deaths deterred this defendant," said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton. "The Justice Department will not rest until every person who peddled pills to these children, directly or indirectly, is behind bars. We have seen these kids' faces – vibrant in life, heartrending in death – and we will not forget."
In plea papers, Villanueva admitted to distributing more than 200,000 fentanyl pills to north Texas customers during the course of five or six months, at a rate of about 40,000 pills per month. He sold the pills – round blue tablets marked M-30 – to a network of juvenile and adult dealers in Carrollton, who went on to sell to friends, classmates, and other customers, legal documents claim. Investigators said he often advertised on Instagram.
"The men and women of the DEA Dallas are pleased Mr. Villanueva has pled guilty and will answer for the crimes he has committed," said Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez. "Unfortunately we cannot undo the damage already done to our community, but we can use this to prove once again that drug trafficking cannot be tolerated and we must all stand together to rid our communities of the dangers of illicit drugs like fentanyl."
In plea papers, Mr. Villanueva admitted he distributed more than 200,000 fentanyl pills to north Texas customers over the course of five or six months, at a rate of about 40,000 pills per month. He sold the pills – round blue tablets marked M-30 – to a network of juvenile and adult dealers in Carrollton, who went on to sell to friends, classmates, and other customers. He often advertised on Instagram.
Following the arrest of two of these lower-level dealers – Eduardo Navarrete and Magaly Cano – Villanueva posted on social media, "Only thing that's gonna stop us is feds."
Villanueva, through his lower-level dealers, is tied to as many as ten overdoses of nine teenagers in the Carrollton Farmer's Branch Independent School District, court documents show. The victims, all middle and high school students, ranged in age from 13 to 17.
Villanueva is the third defendant charged in the wake of the Carrollton/Flower Mound juvenile overdoses to enter a guilty plea. Magaly Cano and Stephen Paul Brinson pleaded guilty last month; five other defendants, including Navarrete, were charged but not yet convicted.
Villanueva now faces up to 40 years in federal prison. His sentencing is slated for Wednesday, Oct. 4.