An Amarillo drug dealer who sold a deadly dose of heroin has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Cynthia Marie Carrasco, 58, pleaded guilty in Federal District Court to possession with the intent to distribute heroin resulting in death.
On April 19, 2019, Amarillo Police Department officers were called to a hotel in Amarillo, Texas, to investigate a suspected heroin overdose. The deceased 33-year-old victim had been staying at the hotel with 37-year-old Jeffery Michael Smith.
According to court documents, Smith agreed to be interviewed by Amarillo Police Department narcotics agents where he admitted to buying heroin from Cynthia Carrasco for a period of time. Smith admitted that he purchased the heroin for his acquaintance used shortly before her death from Carrasco.
During a non-custodial interview with Carrasco at her home, she admitted that she knew Smith and had previously sold him heroin. Carrasco stated that she repackaged heroin into smaller quantities for sale. Carrasco allowed officers to seize her phone. On the phone, officers located evidence that Carrasco was purchasing heroin from Andrew Olguin. In a subsequent interview, Carrasco admitted that her heroin had killed the victim on the night of April 19, 2019.
Agents identified Austin Potts as suspect in the investigation. During an interview with agents, Potts admitted to delivering heroin to individuals for Carrasco.
Other co-defendants also received the following sentences for their involvement: Austin Ryan Potts, 26, 5 years, Andrew Olguin, 64, 10 years, Jeffrey Michael Smith, 37, 10 years.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Agency with the assistance of Randall County Sheriff’s department and the Amarillo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Marie Bell is prosecuting the case.
