The State Attorney’s office secured indictments of two men for murder for selling fentanyl to people who overdosed and died after using the drugs in Central Florida.
In separate cases, the Brevard County grand jury indicted Erwin Cordero-Arocho, of Palm Bay, and Darion Perez, of Cocoa. The two drug dealers were indicted for First-degree felony murder – unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, a capital felony punishable by life in prison or the death penalty, and Sale or delivery of fentanyl.
28-year-old Cordero-Arocho became a suspect following the overdose death of 37-year-old Robert Whalen in northwest Palm Bay. A police report says Whalen’s father found him dead on the floor in his bedroom near where investigators discovered traces of drugs and drug paraphernalia.
Palm Bay Police investigators used text messages, phone records and surveillance video to determine that Cordero-Arocho had sold the dead man drugs shortly before he died from fentanyl toxicity.
30-year-old Perez became a suspect following the overdose death of 30-year-old Wade A. Drummond at a hotel on King Street in Cocoa. A police report says Drummond and his girlfriend had used fentanyl there the night before, and she awoke in the morning to find him deceased from fentanyl poisoning.
Cocoa Police determined Perez delivered and sold the drugs to the girlfriend based on her statements and surveillance video from the hotel. They later set up a controlled drug deal in which Perez sold more fentanyl to her.
Perez and Cardero-Arocho’s indictments brought the number of defendants charged this year for fentanyl-related murders in the 18th Judicial Circuit to five, according to the State Attorney’s office.
