DRUG DEALER SENTENCED TO MORE THAN 12 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR ROLE IN FENTANYL DEATH OF HILLSBORO MAN

U.S. Attorney's Office - District of Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland area drug dealer was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for distributing counterfeit pills containing fentanyl that caused the fatal overdose of a Hillsboro, Oregon man.

David Weaver, 40, a Portland resident, was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, on February 3, 2021, a 25-year-old man was found deceased by his parents at their home in Hillsboro after he consumed a counterfeit Oxycodone pill containing fentanyl. In less than three weeks, law enforcement uncovered a four-person drug distribution chain whose illicit actions led to the young man’s death. Investigators identified Weaver as the person who purchased the deadly counterfeit pills from a drug trafficker who transported them from California to Oregon. Weaver resold the pills to others, including the individuals who supplied the pills to the Hillsboro overdose victim.

On February 18, 2021, using a seized cell phone, investigators arranged to purchase 100 fentanyl pills from Weaver who they arrested en route to a meeting location. A search of Weaver’s car and home led to the discovery and seizure of more than 900 fentanyl pills, approximately three and half pounds of methamphetamine, two pounds of heroin, a 9mm handgun, a shotgun with an obliterated serial number, and $22,483 in cash. Five days later, on February 23, 2021, investigators located and arrested Weaver’s supplier, Gerardo Corrales-Aragon, 30, whose place of residence is unknown, as he was leaving a Portland hotel.

On March 16, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 13-count indictment charging Weaver, Corrales-Aragon and three others with conspiring with one another to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and other related offenses.

On August 31, 2022, Weaver pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. As part of his plea agreement, Weaver agreed to a sentencing enhancement that his fentanyl distribution resulted in the death of the Hillsboro victim.

On March 6, 2023, Corrales-Aragon pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and agreed to the same sentencing enhancement as Weaver. On June 9, 2023, Corrales-Aragon was sentenced to 150 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and Hillsboro Police Department with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.