Photo: ROBYN BECK / AFP / Getty Images
A Hispanic woman from the town of Pacoima declared this Wednesday guilty of participating in a drug trafficking network that distributed to civilians and members of the United States Marine Corps, one of whom died of an overdose.
Jessica Sarah Pérez, from 25 years, will be sentenced on 11 May on one federal count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances , according to the US Attorney’s Office.
The Hispanic woman acknowledged that, as a member of the conspiracy, received alleged oxycodone pills with fentanyl and other drugs from a co-defendant , merchandise he sold to customers.
Perez and four others, including two active duty Marines, F We were charged two years ago in an indictment on 14 charges filed in federal court in The Angels.
Anthony Ruben Whisenant, of 22 years old, and Ryan Douglas White, of 24, whose base was at Camp Pendleton, were arrested on 22 September 2020 accused of conspiring to distribute narcotics civilians and other Marines.
Allegedly, Whisenant distributed drugs to his fellow Marines , including the element that died of overdoses. White is accused of being his accomplice after allegedly attempting to hinder Whisenant’s arrest.
The indictment also points to Hispanic Gustavo Jaciel Solís, aged 25, from Sylmar, who allegedly supplied drugs supplied by Jordan Nicholas McCormick, of 27 years, to civilians and military.
Pérez was accused of selling drug, including fentanyl and cocaine, to civilian clients..
Allegedly, McCormick supplied large quantities of drugs, including LSD, ecstasy, cocaine and oxycodone laced with fentanyl, to the other members of the conspiracy, in addition to being charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug crimes, the US Attorney’s Office said.
Prosecutors maintain that the conspiracy lasted from November 2019 ace September 2020, and involved multiple sales of oxycodone laced with fentanyl to a mystery shopper, often for amounts greater than $1, dollars .
On 24 May 2020, Solís sold fentanyl-laced oxycodone pills to an active-duty Marine, who overdosed the next day.