SYRACUSE, NY – A multi-agency investigation has led to Bernabe Lopez, a 58-year-old from Utica, admitting to his role in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy.
Lopez pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to distribute and the distribution of fentanyl.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division led the inquiry, alongside several local law enforcement agencies.
Lopez acknowledged acquiring and distributing over 40 grams of fentanyl between May 2020 and October 2021. Furthermore, he confessed to selling a substance used to dilute fentanyl, thereby increasing its volume for sales.
Lopez is scheduled for sentencing on February 29, 2024, facing a minimum of five years to a maximum of 40 years in prison, with potential fines reaching $5 million.
