Montebello man convicted of distributing fentanyl

A federal jury Wednesday convicted a Montebello man of distributing fentanyl to a buyer who then distributed it to a victim who the next day suffered a fatal overdose of the powerful synthetic opioid at a Long Beach drug treatment facility.

Juan Carlos "Johnny G" Gutierrez, 33, was found guilty in Los Angeles federal court of one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury, a felony that carries a sentence of between 20 years and life imprisonment, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Evidence presented at the eight-day trial showed that Gutierrez on Dec. 9, 2021, distributed fentanyl to co-defendant Jayleen Feusier, 36, of South Gate. Previously that night, Feusier agreed to get fentanyl for the victim, a 34-year-old man who was residing at a Long Beach drug treatment facility. In exchange for $60, Feusier agreed to get the fentanyl for the victim from Gutierrez.

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Later that night, Feusier broke off a gram of the fentanyl that Gutierrez provided to her, packaged it in a small plastic baggie, and placed the baggie, a lighter and drug paraphernalia into a small box.

She then placed the small box into a bag with a black T-shirt to mask the contents, ordered an Uber delivery service, and placed the item on the backseat of the vehicle to be delivered to the victim at the rehabilitation facility. Feusier then sent a link to the victim so he could track the Uber as it traveled to him, federal prosecutors said.

At around 11 p.m. that night, the victim jumped a fence and retrieved the package from the Uber vehicle then went back inside the drug treatment facility. About six hours later, the victim's body was discovered inside the facility's living room. The jury was told that drug paraphernalia sent by Feusier was discovered near the victim.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office ruled that the death was caused by a fentanyl overdose.

U.S. District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr. scheduled an Oct. 15 sentencing hearing for Gutierrez, who has been in federal custody since May 2023.

Feusier pleaded guilty on March 5 to one count of distribution of fentanyl. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison at her sentencing hearing, which is expected to occur in the coming months in downtown Los Angeles, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

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