Manassas Man Sentenced For Selling Counterfeit Pills, Fentanyl

MANASSAS, VA —A Manassas man was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison on Wednesday after he was convicted of illegally selling firearms and counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of Virginia. A federal judge sentenced the man, 26-year-old Richard Michael Perez, to a total of 142 months in prison.

Police identified Perez as a supplier of narcotics in September 2020, according to court records. Authorities used an undercover agent to conduct several transactions with Perez.

Between September 2020 and June 2021, Perez sold nearly 1,000 pills containing fentanyl to the undercover agent, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Perez, a convicted felon, also mentioned during the sales that he owned firearms, authorities said. In April 2021, Perez sold a semi-automatic rifle to an undercover agent, according to court records.

Law enforcement took Perez into custody in June 2021. authorities said they found more narcotics, a privately manufactured firearm without a serial number, ammunition, and $9,000 in cash during a search of his home. Perez was already barred from possessing firearms due to previous felony convictions.

From April 2020 to April 2021, more than 100,000 people in the U.S. died as a result of drug overdoses, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control. Opioid overdoses accounted for more than 75,000 deaths.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration operates a 24/7 hotline for people who may be struggling with addiction. They can be reached at 1-800-662-4357.

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