A six-count indictment handed up by federal grand jury last week was unsealed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, charging a Harbor City man with knowingly distributing fentanyl to two victims that led to one person’s death and seriously injured the other person.
Antjuan Stephone Doss a.k.a. “Giovani Dinero,” was charged with counts including distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury, distribution of fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles said in a Wednesday news release.
Doss, 33, pleaded not guilty to the charges on Wednesday.
On Aug. 13, 2022, Doss distributed the fentanyl to the two victims, according to the indictment. Both victims ingested the drug, leading to one person’s death and the other with serious bodily injuries.
He is also accused of distributing 45 pills containing fentanyl on the same day.
From Aug. 9 to Aug. 22 of last year, a co-conspirator of Doss, using couriers, supplied him with fentanyl powder, pills containing fentanyl and cocaine, according to the indictment. Doss packaged and distributed the drugs to his own customers at the co-conspirator’s direction, according to the indictment.
Doss allegedly then sent the drug proceeds to the co-conspirator.
He is also accused of possessing with intent to distribute around 1 kilogram of fentanyl and illegally possessing a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and seven rounds of ammunition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Doss is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of a prior conviction in January 2016 involving two felonies – identity theft and using an access device without consent.
During a search of his home last summer, authorities found fentanyl in various locations around a bedroom he shared with a woman and their infant child in areas easily accessible to the child, according to the indictment.
Doss was arrested on Tuesday and has remained in custody with no bail. He is set to appear again in court in Los Angeles on Jan 2.
If found guilty of the six charges, Doss faces 25 years to life in federal prison.
Separately, a Calabasas man was charged in an 18-count indictment on Wednesday, alleging he ran a drug trafficking operation that provided same-day delivery of cocaine and fentanyl-laced oxycodone that led to the death of a person last year, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Erick Oved Estrada, 35, along with his wife, Zoila Michelle Estrada, 36, of Calabasas; Arian Alani, 34, of Burbank; and Gilberto Marquez, 34, of Woodland Hills, were arrested on Tuesday and have since pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Two other suspects are still being sought by authorities.
If convicted of all charges, Erick Estrada, Alani and Marquez would each face 20 years to life in federal prison. Zoila Estrada faces up to 10 years in federal prison. They are set to appear again in court in Los Angeles on Jan. 16.