A 44-year-old San Antonio felon has been sentenced to 200 months — more than 16 years — in federal prison for dealing fentanyl-containing pills in Schertz. Daniel Mendoza Jr. was convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl after investigators said he advertised drugs on social media and sold pills containing fentanyl and fluorofentanyl in Schertz.
Federal prosecutors announced the sentence, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas. The case began in 2025. Mendoza advertised drugs on social media and sold pills containing fentanyl and fluorofentanyl in Schertz.
Guns and Drugs Found During January Arrest
Mendoza was arrested on January 14, 2026. Federal prosecutors say a search of his residence that followed the arrest turned up additional fentanyl, cocaine, and alprazolam in his kitchen, along with a .40 caliber pistol loaded with 10 rounds tucked in his bedside table.
He pleaded guilty on May 28, 2026, to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, the prosecution's report notes.
Federal and Local Agencies Teamed Up on the Case
The investigation was a joint effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office, according to the announcement, which was also shared on social media by the DEA's San Antonio office using the hashtags #fentanyl and #onepillcankill, as reported by U.S. Attorney WDTX
.
The compound found mixed into Mendoza's pills was fluorofentanyl. The DEA placed meta-fluorofentanyl in Schedule I, as listed in the Federal Register.
Counterfeit Pills Remain a Lethal Gamble
The danger behind pills like the ones Mendoza sold is well documented. The San Jose Police Department has warned that counterfeit pills can contain potentially lethal amounts of fentanyl.
The problem has registered as a regional crisis closer to home, too. The San Antonio City Council passed a resolution in November 2024 declaring drug overdoses a public health crisis after CDC data showed Bexar County had higher stimulant and opioid mortality rates than the statewide average, according to the City of San Antonio, which noted the city allocated more than $900,000 from opioid settlement funds toward prevention and recovery programs.
State Penalties and Recent Progress
Texas lawmakers have also moved to crack down on fentanyl distribution at the state level. House Bill 6, which took effect September 1, 2023, created a state criminal offense of fentanyl murder carrying sentences of 5 to 99 years or life for people who supply a fatal dose, according to the Office of the Texas Governor.
Still, state data suggests some of those efforts may be gaining traction. Fentanyl poisoning deaths in Texas dropped by more than 40% between mid-2024 and mid-2025, according to provisional vital statistics from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which pointed to expanded public health efforts and wider over-the-counter naloxone access, including the state's One Pill Kills campaign and an online naloxone locator tool.
