Hesperia Man Convicted in Elaborate Multi-State/Country Heroin Trafficking Scheme

A 27-year-old Hesperia man admitted in Federal Court on Thursday to transporting over 30,000 heroin pills to Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 2014. Efrain Barajas plead guilty to the Federal drug charges for his over 1-year-long involvement in the elaborate drug trafficking scheme.  

A  group of 11 men, three from California and the others from Louisiana, according to the U.S. Department of Justice were smuggling the heroin from Mexico to California. When it reached California,  it was pressed to resemble oxycodone pills. Once in pill form the heroin pills were shipped to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to be distributed to mid-level drug dealers to be sold in East Baton Rouge and Livingston Parishes.

The group allegedly disguised the heroin as oxycodone to dupe the drug user into believing it was oxycodone, which could be sold at a higher price. The approximate street value of the drugs in total is estimated to be approximate $900,000. Barajas will be sentenced on October 13, 2016, for his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin.

Six others also pleaded guilty in association with the case during previous hearings. The other six included Baton Rouge, Louisiana  residents, 32-year-old Justin Scott and 42-year-old Daryl Walker and Denham Springs, Louisiana residents 35-year-old Keenan Harris Jr., 35-year-old Christopher Dean, 32-year-old Christian Becnet, and 33-year-old Randall Pendarvis.

The last four are still awaiting the outcome of their case, these include Baton Rouge residents, 32-year-olds Aaron Lambert and Brian Keith Hano Jr. and Costa Mesa, California resident 44-year-old Michael Almanza and Newport Beach resident 30-year-old Logan Brannon.

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