ORLANDO, Fla. — A Florida man has been sentenced for fake Oxy pills that led to a fatal overdose.
A federal judge has sentenced Joel David Fonseca Flores, 45, of Orlando, to 32 years in prison for selling fentanyl-laced pills that caused a woman’s death and for illegally possessing firearms in connection with drug trafficking, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Mr Flores was found guilty by a jury in June 2024 of conspiring to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. He had previously pleaded guilty to additional charges of possessing fentanyl and cocaine with intent to distribute and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug crime.
Evidence presented at trial showed that between April 2020 and April 2022, Fonseca Flores and his co-defendant, Misty Lynn Parady, 35, sold counterfeit “M30” pills to a woman identified as “N.K.” The victim reportedly believed she was purchasing oxycodone but later realized the pills were laced with fentanyl.
Despite multiple warnings from N.K., including drug test results sent to Ms Parady, the pair continued selling her the counterfeit pills. On April 4, 2022, N.K. died from a fentanyl overdose.
Officers stopped the defendants’ vehicle on October 3, 2022, seizing fake “M30” pills, cocaine, a digital scale, plastic baggies, and cash. Fonseca Flores, a convicted felon, also had a firearm in the vehicle.
A later search of their home on April 4, 2024, reportedly turned up three more firearms, ammunition, fentanyl pills, other illegal drugs, cash, and drug paraphernalia.
Ms Parady pleaded guilty in May 2024 to drug distribution conspiracy and other charges. She was sentenced in August 2024 to six years and six months in federal prison.
“Cases like this reinforce drug traffickers care only about profit and driving addiction,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter.
“DEA will pursue drug traffickers with everything we have to make our communities safe and healthy.”
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Orlando Police Department Overdose Unit. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kara M. Wick, Stephanie McNeff, and Michael P. Felicetta.
