SAN ANTONIO — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)), published as received.
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman pleaded guilty in San Antonio federal court Thursday to distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death.
According to court documents, Claudia Cardenas, 47, provided a man with a sample of fentanyl on May 8, 2022, allowing him to try the substance before committing to future purchases. The man ingested the fentanyl sample the following day. He immediately collapsed and was unresponsive. Two doses of Narcan were administered prior to the arrival of Emergency Medical Services, but the man was declared deceased upon EMS’s arrival. An autopsy revealed that the victim’s death was the result of toxic effects from Fentanyl and Methamphetamine.
Cardenas is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13 and faces a penalty of at least 20 years in prison up to life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The DEA; the University of Texas at San Antonio Police Department; the San Antonio Police Department; the Texas Department of Public Safety; and the Alamo Heights Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Hail is prosecuting the case.
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