A 35-year-old Orange County man was sentenced to federal prison for fentanyl distribution.
U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Yadier Torres-Rivera, of Orlando, to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for distributing 40 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl.
According to court documents, from August through December 2022, Torres-Rivera distributed fentanyl four times to a confidential source working for the Volusia Bureau of Investigation (VBI) before the VBI confidential source introduced a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) undercover agent to Torres-Rivera.
Between December 2022 and February 2023, the DEA undercover agent conducted four additional purchases of fentanyl from Torres-Rivera in the following amounts: 30.2 grams, 92.5 grams, 100.9 grams, and 104 grams. In total, Torres-Rivera was responsible for distributing nearly 500 grams of fentanyl to the VBI confidential source and DEA undercover agent.
Additionally, at the time of his arrest in September 2023, Torres-Rivera’s had on his person a loaded Glock 27 handgun with an attached auto-sear, an extended magazine loaded in the magazine well, and a round of ammunition in the firing chamber. He also had in his possession a regular-sized Glock magazine containing rounds of ammunition. As part of the plea agreement, Torres-Rivera has agreed to abandon all rights to the handgun and associated magazines and ammunition that were seized from him.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Volusia Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman. Torres-Rivera entered a guilty plea on November 12, 2023.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
