A Yakima, Washington man has been sentenced to 90 months in federal prison and four years of supervised release for trafficking fentanyl. Jesus Paul Zazueta, 28, received the sentence after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Court documents show that on October 4, 2021, Zazueta was a passenger in a vehicle involved in an accident in Deschutes County, Oregon. Officers from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police responded and searched the vehicle with consent. They found two bags in the trunk containing about five pounds of fentanyl pills and a semi-automatic firearm.
When questioned by officers, Zazueta admitted to trafficking the fentanyl and owning the firearm. He also said he packed the bag containing both items and expected payment for transporting the drugs to Washington.
On July 20, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Zazueta on charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He pleaded guilty on May 21, 2025.
The Drug Enforcement Administration worked alongside Oregon State Police and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office during this investigation. Adam Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, prosecuted the case.
According to authorities, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid significantly more potent than morphine or heroin. Even small amounts can be lethal. The widespread availability of illicit fentanyl has led to an increase in overdose deaths across Oregon (https://www.cdc.gov/stopoverdose/fentanyl/index.html).
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