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LOS ANGELES – A Cerritos drug trafficker was sentenced today to 270 months in federal prison today for narcotics and firearms offenses, including providing fentanyl to a victim who later ingested the powerful synthetic opioid and died from it.
Shaun Alan Rosa, 45, was sentenced by United States District Judge Philip S. Gutierrez.
Rosa pleaded guilty in July 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and to maintain a drug-involved premises, one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of distribution of fentanyl. He has been in federal custody since September 2019.
According to court documents, from April 2015 to March 2018, Rosa directed a conspirator to rent and maintain an apartment in San Pedro for the purpose of storing and distributing narcotics and firearms. Other conspirators, including the victim, provided illegal drugs such as cocaine, Ecstasy, and fentanyl to Rosa for further distribution.
Rosa then directed a co-conspirator to pick up narcotics from other members of the conspiracy, transport the drugs to the San Pedro apartment and later distribute the drugs to other conspirators and to pick up money from these conspirators as payment for the drugs.
Rosa admitted in his plea agreement that, in June 2017 in Long Beach, he knowingly gave pills containing fentanyl to a co-conspirator, identified in court documents at “M.E.” The victim later ingested the pills, which led to his fatal overdose.
“Despite knowing about the tragic death of M.E. from a fentanyl overdose, defendant continued to distribute controlled substances, including the exceedingly dangerous drug of fentanyl,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum.
In March 2018, at the San Pedro apartment, Rosa possessed approximately 233.4 grams (0.5 pounds) of fentanyl, 3.97 kilograms (8.76 pounds) of Ecstasy, two firearms, 49 rounds of ammunition, and drug paraphernalia, including digital scales and a pill press.
The FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated this matter. The Long Beach Police Department provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jenna W. Long of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Jena A. MacCabe of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
