LOS ANGELES
A Calabasas man was charged Wednesday on narcotics charges in federal court for allegedly running a drug trafficking enterprise that delivered cocaine and fentanyl-laced oxycodone by vehicle the same day, including to one victim who died last year from a fentanyl overdose.
Erick Oved Estrada, 35, a.k.a. “Franco Sanchez” and “Eric Freddy Hook,” who reportedly ran a drugs delivery driver company out of his house, was arrested Tuesday along with three other defendants, including his wife, and charged Wednesday.
Also arrested Tuesday were:
- Arian Alani, 34, of Burbank, who, along with Estrada, allegedly distributed the fentanyl that led to the victim’s fatal overdose in June 2022
- Gilberto Marquez, 34, of Woodland Hills, an alleged lieutenant in the drug trafficking operation
- Zoila Michelle Estrada, 36, of Calabasas, Erick Estrada’s wife.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. A Jan. 16 trial date was scheduled.
Law enforcement continues to search for defendants Tomas Marquez-Ruiz, 37, a.k.a. “El Cafecito,” of Chatsworth, another alleged lieutenant in the drug trafficking operation, and Caseya Chanel Brown, 39, a.k.a. “Mom,” of Woodland Hills, an alleged delivery driver in the drug trafficking operation.
According to the 18-count indictment returned Nov. 15 and unsealed today, from May 2019 to June 2022, Erick Estrada obtained narcotics, including cocaine and purported oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl.
Erick Estrada, Marquez-Ruiz, and Marquez then allegedly provided these drugs to a network of drug delivery drivers, including Brown and other co-conspirators, for further distribution to customers or other drug distributors.
Brown and others directly provided the drugs to customers or distributors and collected payment.
On June 8, 2022, Erick Estrada allegedly sold 25 oxycodone pills to Alani, and a delivery driver then provided Alani with the purported oxycodone pills, which 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 ingested them and died of a drug overdose.
On June 10, 2022, Alani confronted Erick Estrada via text message and wrote, “my boy just died yesterday”—a reference to C.N. – and that Estrada “[s]houldn’t be selling [expletive] with fentanyl.”
Erick and Zoila Estrada laundered the drug proceeds through his sham businesses’ bank accounts, where they used the money for various personal expenses.
The indictment alleges this included luxury vehicles such as a Lamborghini and a Land Rover.
Erick Estrada, Marquez-Ruiz, Marquez, and Brown are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, resulting in death, and one count of distribution of cocaine.
Erick Estrada is also charged with two additional counts of distribution of cocaine, one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, and 11 counts of money laundering.
Alani is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl, resulting in death. Zoila Estrada is charged with one count of money laundering.
If convicted of all charges, Erick Estrada, Marquez-Ruiz, Marquez, Brown, and Alani face up to life in prison. If convicted, Zoila Estrada would face up to 10 years in federal prison.
The DEA and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney MiRi Song of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section is prosecuting this case.