6 minutes

Dennis Katsnelson

Two Honduran nationals, Kevin Martinez-Avila and Allen Moya-Vargas, have been indicted in federal court for their involvement in trafficking fentanyl and counterfeit prescription pills. The U.S. Attorney's office in Oregon alleges that the two men transported hundreds of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and several pounds of powdered fentanyl from California to Portland for resale.

According to court documents, investigators with the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team learned in February that a drug courier from California was bringing a large amount of fentanyl to the Portland area. They followed the courier's vehicle to a residence in Gresham, where they saw Martinez-Avila leave in a vehicle. Upon stopping his car, investigators found 47 grams of powdered fentanyl.

Investigators then searched the residence and found Moya-Vargas inside, along with 150,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and over seven pounds of powdered fentanyl. The investigators believe that the residence was being used to unload and store fentanyl brought to the Portland area before it was distributed to other areas.

Prosecutors have charged the two men with conspiring with each other and others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. The men were arraigned in court and pleaded not guilty. They have been ordered detained pending a jury trial, which is scheduled to begin on June 27.

If convicted, Martinez-Avila and Moya-Vargas face maximum sentences of life in federal prison with 10-year mandatory minimum sentences. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is responsible for thousands of overdose deaths each year in the United States. The trafficking of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs is a serious problem that law enforcement agencies across the country are working hard to combat. The Westside Interagency Narcotics Team is a collaborative effort between several law enforcement agencies in the Portland metropolitan area that is dedicated to investigating drug-related crimes.

In recent years, the United States has seen a dramatic increase in the number of overdose deaths related to fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 36,000 people died from overdoses involving synthetic opioids in 2019, a 38% increase from the previous year.

The trafficking of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs is not only a public health crisis but also a criminal justice issue. Law enforcement agencies are working tirelessly to disrupt drug trafficking networks and bring those responsible to justice.

The indictment of Martinez-Avila and Moya-Vargas is a reminder of the dangers of fentanyl and the need for continued efforts to combat drug trafficking. The Westside Interagency Narcotics Team and other law enforcement agencies will continue to work together to keep communities safe from the devastating effects of drug abuse.