A Pontotoc County jury has found a 45-year-old man guilty of trafficking fentanyl and is urging a hefty penalty: 20 years behind bars and a $250,000 fine. Francisco Javier Herrera Jr. was convicted after a jury trial, and the case doubled as a milestone for one of the prosecutors who tried it. Formal sentencing is just days away, set for Nov. 3.
According to KOKH, Herrera was found guilty of trafficking an illegal drug following the trial. Investigators said he was found with more than three grams of fentanyl on Feb. 5, 2025. Pontotoc County District Attorney Erik Johnson identified Herrera as a 45-year-old man in announcing the verdict.
What the jury recommended
Jurors recommended a 20-year prison sentence along with a fine of $250,000. A jury's recommendation is not the final word, and the report notes that Herrera's formal sentencing is set for Nov. 3. Whether the recommended term and fine will be imposed unchanged at that hearing has not been established.
A first jury trial for a young prosecutor
The case marked the first jury trial presented by Assistant District Attorney William Kirkpatrick, and Johnson praised him for successfully presenting it. Johnson also credited Assistant District Attorney Tara Portillo for the mentorship, guidance and support she provided Kirkpatrick throughout the process.
Johnson extended thanks beyond his own office as well. He singled out OSBI chemist Davin Lenhart for her work on the case and for providing testimony at trial. He also thanked the Pontotoc County Sheriff's Department for its investigative work and assistance.
Johnson said fentanyl trafficking poses a serious threat to communities and that collaboration among these agencies helped prosecutors bring the case to a conviction.
Another Oklahoma fentanyl verdict, another sentencing wait
Pontotoc County is not the only Oklahoma courtroom to see a recent fentanyl verdict. As Hoodline reported, a Cleveland County jury convicted Moore man Livingston Strachan of aggravated trafficking and conspiracy after a March 2025 undercover operation, with officers recovering approximately 20 grams of suspected fentanyl.
Jurors in that case recommended 25 years on the trafficking charge and 10 years on conspiracy. Strachan's formal sentencing is not scheduled until Jan. 13, 2027, so those recommendations also remain non-final.
