Jose Antonio Carlos III, a 23-year-old resident of Laredo, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl to a 15-year-old, which resulted in the teenager’s fatal overdose.
Carlos, who also goes by Jose Carlos, pleaded guilty on January 4, 2024, to one count of distributing fentanyl resulting in death. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal sentenced Carlos to 240 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $5,400 in restitution to the victim’s family. In handing down the sentence, the court expressed the tragedy of the case, noting the victim was only 15 years old.
The fatal incident took place on May 16, 2023. Court documents reveal that the victim had arranged to purchase cocaine, using the slang term “pase,” from Carlos. After texting Carlos to arrange the purchase, the victim was driven to a location on Longoria Loop in Laredo, where Carlos handed over a small bag of white powder. The victim was dropped off at his home that evening, where he lived with his aunt.
The following morning, the victim’s aunt attempted to wake him when she heard his phone ringing but received no response. Concerned, she climbed through the window of his bedroom and discovered him lying face down on the bed. Upon touching him, she realized he was cold and stiff. Law enforcement arrived shortly after and pronounced the victim dead from fentanyl toxicity.
Investigators found text messages between Carlos and the victim, including one sent the day after the sale where Carlos asked, “What’s up was it good or no[?].” The white powder the victim had purchased was later confirmed to be fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, the Laredo Police Department, and the Webb County Sheriff’s Office. The Webb County Medical Examiner’s office assisted with the autopsy and toxicology reports.
Carlos will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. This sentencing serves as a warning of the lethal consequences of fentanyl distribution, as DEA Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux emphasized the continued efforts to dismantle criminal organizations involved in human trafficking and drug distribution.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Bajew and Leslie Cortez prosecuted the case.
