CHICAGO, IL – A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted Daniel Gonzalez-Munguia, a 40-year-old resident of Puebla, Mexico, on serious drug charges related to the illegal importation of Pentobarbital into the United States. Gonzalez-Munguia, also known as “Alejandro Vasquez,” faces charges of importing and distributing a controlled substance, with potential penalties of up to 60 years in federal prison.
The indictment, returned on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Chicago, outlines Gonzalez-Munguia’s alleged operation of an online drug business aimed at distributing Pentobarbital, a drug commonly used for animal euthanasia in Mexico and controlled under U.S. law. The business reportedly targeted individuals in the U.S. and globally who were contemplating suicide.
During the investigation, law enforcement discovered numerous mail parcels linked to Gonzalez-Munguia that had been shipped from Mexico. These parcels were allegedly intended for individuals who had purchased the drug online through email addresses controlled by Gonzalez-Munguia. Some recipients admitted to their despondent state upon contact by authorities, while in other instances, individuals were found deceased after purchasing the drug.
The announcement of the indictment was made by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, alongside officials from Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago. The investigation, described as ongoing, has also involved contributions from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Illinois Army National Guard Counterdrug Program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, and law enforcement agencies across several countries including Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Gonzalez-Munguia is currently detained in U.S. custody, with an arraignment in federal court pending. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman.
