Major Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 18 Years
ABINGDON, VA – Robert Contreras, 24, known as “Quill,” was sentenced today to 18 years in federal prison for his role in a major fentanyl distribution network. Contreras, from Buena Park, California, was previously convicted of conspiring to distribute and possessing with the intent to distribute significant amounts of fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Contreras was also ordered to forfeit five firearms and $31,294 in cash. Court documents reveal that between 2020 and 2023, he supplied between 10,000 and 30,000 fentanyl pills weekly to co-conspirator Marco Orozco. At the conspiracy’s peak in late 2021 and early 2022, the operation escalated, with multiple shipments per week. These pills were transported from California to Southwest Virginia and other national locations for distribution, often facilitated through social media platforms.
United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh emphasized the severe impact of fentanyl, particularly pressed pills, on American communities and Virginia’s proactive approach to addressing the epidemic. He highlighted the collaborative effort among various law enforcement agencies, including local Virginia and California police departments, the ATF, and the United States Postal Inspection Service, in tackling this widespread issue.
On March 6, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Contreras’ residence, seizing 1,639 fentanyl pills, cash, firearms, and various other narcotics. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena L. Busscher prosecuted the case, underscoring the commitment to prosecuting individuals involved in drug trafficking severely and extensively.