Two Los Angeles County men who allegedly helped operate a drug trafficking operation that provided same-day delivery of cocaine and fentanyl-laced oxycodone, including to a man who died from an overdose, are expected to plead guilty Wednesday to federal charges.
Arian Alani, 36, of Burbank, has agreed to enter a plea in Los Angeles federal court to a single count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and Gilberto Marquez, 36, of Woodland Hills, is expected to plead guilty to a count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, court papers show.
Federal prosecutors allege Alani distributed the fentanyl that led to the victim’s fatal overdose in June 2022, while Marquez is accused of working as a lieutenant in the drug trafficking operation.
Erick Estrada, 36, also known as Franco Sanchez and Eric Freddy Hook, allegedly ran the ring out of his Calabasas home, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Estrada’s 38-year-old wife, Zoila, is among the six defendants.
According to an 18-count indictment returned in November 2023, Erick Estrada obtained narcotics, including cocaine and purported oxycodone pills that actually contained fentanyl, and handed the drugs off to a network of delivery drivers for distribution to customers or other drug dealers.
On June 8, 2022, Erick Estrada allegedly sold 25 oxycodone pills to Alani, and a delivery driver then provided to Alani the purported oxycodone pills, which in fact contained fentanyl. The following day, Alani allegedly sold some of the fentanyl-laced pills to the victim, identified in the indictment as C.N., who later died of an overdose, according to the indictment.
On June 10, 2022, Alani confronted Erick Estrada via text message and wrote, “My boy just died yesterday” — a reference to C.N. — and said Estrada shouldn’t be selling drugs with fentanyl, court papers show.
Erick and his wife laundered the drug proceeds through his sham businesses’ bank accounts, where they used the money for various personal expenses, including luxury vehicles such as a Lamborghini and a Land Rover, the indictment alleges.
Estrada and his wife are expected to face trial in downtown Los Angeles in December, according to prosecutors.