Lorain Man Had Enough Carfentanil To Kill Thousands

LORAIN, OH — A Lorain man has been sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for having a "weapon of mass destruction in another form," a Department of Justice official said. The man was arrested with more than 9.3 grams of carfentanil, a fentanyl analogue.

“This defendant had a weapon of mass destruction, just in a different form,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “This amount of carfentanil could have killed thousands of people. Federal law enforcement will continue to work with our partners in Lorain County to bring to justice the people profiting from this drug epidemic.”

Manuel Latorre, 27, of Lorain, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Latorre had approximately 50 prior arrests and 17 convictions, as an adult, according to statements made in court.

Carfentanil is 100 times more potent than fentanyl and is intended for use with large animals only, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. It is one of the most potent opioids in the world.

The Department of Justice said Latorre had more than 9.3 grams of carfentanil between August and October 2017.

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. And like Patch on Facebook!)

Photo from Shutterstock