A Laredo drug dealer faces a life sentence after pleading guilty to providing the lethal dose of fentanyl that killed a 15-year-old boy, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani announced yesterday. Jose Antonio Carlos III, also known as Jose Carlos, admitted guilt to one charge of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, a crime that carries a minimum sentence of 20 years up to life behind bars and possibly a $1 million fine.
According to a press release from the Department of Justice, the victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, mistook fentanyl for cocaine – a drug often referred to by the street name "pase". Law enforcement officials found the teenager unresponsive in his home on May 17, 2023, with the deadly drug by his side, confirmed by toxicology reports to be the cause of his death.
The investigation unveiled incriminating text messages between Carlos and a victim, where the minor expressed his intention to purchase "pase". Carlos provided the price and an address on Longoria Loop where the transaction took place. Later, the victim was found lifeless by his aunt, who, after failing to gain entry through the door, climed through a window to find the tragic scene.
"Carlos’ decision to sell illicit drugs caused the death of a 15-year-old child," Hamdani stated. "Tragically, this case illustrates that no person – regardless of age – is safe from fentanyl’s deadly grip." The case shines a stark light on the ongoing opioid crisis ravaging communities throughout the country. Sentencing for Carlos is set for a later date, presided over by U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo, with him remaining in custody until the hearing, according to the Department of Justice.
The investigation was a combined effort by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, Laredo Police Department, and the Webb County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Webb County Medical Examiner. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Bajew and Leslie Cortez are leading the prosecution.
