2 fentanyl dealers connected to death of Carrollton teen charged, could face up to 20 years in prison
CARROLLTON (CBSNewsTexas.com) – Two fentanyl distributors who supplied the pills that killed a Carrollton teen last week have been federally charged.
Lizbeth Prieto, 19, and Cristian Lopez, 24, were charged via criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted, they could face up to 20 years in prison.
The victim, a 15-year-old girl who was a student at Newman Smith High School, is the fourth child to die of a fentanyl overdose in the area since September 2022.
"This is well beyond a 'Carrollton' problem. This is a you and me problem as it affects us all. This is a problem that we must join all facets of our community to educate, treat, prevent, and enforce the law to help those struggling and hold responsible those who deal drugs to the fullest extent of the law," said Eduardo A. Chávez, special agent in charge of DEA Dallas. "Just one pill can change so many lives forever. We will never stop seeking justice."
Court papers say Lopez supplied fentanyl pills to Prieto, who supplied them to the victim.
The teen was found unresponsive in her bedroom on June 13. She was taken to a hospital and was pronounced dead shortly after.
Knowing the death was likely fentanyl-related, the family gave law enforcement the OK to search the teen's bedroom. In the bedroom, law enforcement found 10 counterfeit Percocet pills inscribed M/30, which later tested positive for fentanyl.
On her Instagram account, officers found messages between the girl and Prieto from approximately 24 hours before the death. In those messages, Prieto allegedly offered to sell the teen 13 fentanyl pills for $100, confirmed she could pay with cash and asked for her address.
Another message was Prieto allegedly advising the teen that she was pulling up to the home to deliver the pills.
An undercover officer then reached out to Prieto and asked to purchase M/30 fentanyl pills. The next day, Prieto allegedly arranged to meet the undercover officer.
Prior to the transaction, officers saw Prieto get into Lopez's car. She then met with the officer and handed over several pills. The officer gave her marked bills and she got back into Lopez's car.
Officers pulled over Lopez and found the marked bills in his possession. He allegedly admitted that he supplied Prieto with the counterfeit pills she gave the undercover officer, which tested positive for fentanyl.
Prieto allegedly admitted that Lopez was her supplier and confessed that she sold the teen a dozen M/30 pills. She said she didn't know the teen's exact age, but knew that she was young.
