Fentanyl dealer found with 14,000 pills sentenced to 15 years in prison

The Spotlight: Surge in fentanyl deaths as agents make record-breaking seizures

Even as border patrol agents make record-breaking seizures of fentanyl, there has been a sure in overdose deaths this year as the synthetic opioid pills known as "Blues" continue to have a strong grip on communities locally.

SEATTLE - A Federal Way man was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Thursday after he was arrested while trying to sell thousands of fentanyl pills.

According to the Department of Justice, 27-year-old Fernando Lopez-Armenta was taken into custody on Aug. 4, 2021. Lopez-Armenta met a confidential source in Federal Way with the intent to sell 10,000 fentanyl pills. Court records show he had 4,000 more pills stashed inside the car.

When agents moved in to arrest him, Lopez-Armenta stepped out of a car and pointed a loaded gun at the agents. He put his gun down and was arrested.

Lopez-Armenta pleaded guilty in Aug. 2022 to one count of possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and one count of carrying a firearm.

"The 10,000 fentanyl pills that Lopez-Armenta brought to this drug deal represented thousands of potential overdose deaths. And he did not just traffic deadly drugs - he did so while carrying a gun," said Assistant United States Attorney Erika Evans.