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Paso Robles couple facing life in prison for dealing fentanyl

January 17, 2024

By KAREN VELIE

A couple from Paso Robles is facing life in prison for selling methamphetamine and fentanyl, after one of their victim’s died in May 2023, according to federal prosecutors.

On Tuesday, law enforcement arrested 30 year-old Jessica Leigh Alalia, who also goes by Jessica Mitchell, on an eight-count indictment. Her boyfriend, 30-year-old Damian Naudh Lagunas-Garcia, was arrested on Sunday.

Both Alalia and Lagunas-Garcia were arraigned Wednesday at the U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

Alalia is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Both defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, one count of knowingly maintaining a drug-involved premises, two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.

From Jan. 2023 to Aug. 2023, Alalia and Lagunas-Garcia conspired with each other to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, according to the indictments. The couple allegedly stored, packed, and facilitated the distribution of narcotics from their Paso Robles home, where they possessed multiple firearms.

Alalia and Lagunas-Garcia coordinated with each other by using coded language in text messages – using the letter “F” for fentanyl, for example – to discuss their trafficking and sales of fentanyl and methamphetamine to drug customers, according to the indictment. They also allegedly also used a storage unit in Templeton to store, pack and distribute the narcotics.

Alalia and Lagunas-Garcia pleaded not guilty to all charges on Wednesday, and a March 12 trial was scheduled. Both defendants are in federal custody and each of them has a detention hearing scheduled for Jan. 22.

If convicted of all charges, Alalia and Lagunas-Garcia each face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. Alalia also faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Lagunas-Garcia faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison for the drug conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine counts.

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Justice Task Force and the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Local authorities are almost always the first to respond to an overdose death, and DEA agents have provided training to dozens of local agencies to help them analyze evidence to determine if there are circumstances that might lead to a federal criminal prosecution.

Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel H. Weiner and Alexandra Michael, both of the General Crimes Section, are prosecuting this case.

 


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Taking drugs sounds like a personal choice.


1

Thank God! Great work! This is the most dangerous drug on the street. It not only puts the users in danger, but those who might be there to assist the addict. The more death pushers they can get off the street, the safer we all are! Think of it, the amount it takes to OD a non addict is so minute. And You would have no idea how you were able to take it into your system. Very scary! Besides the scorn Meth brings on the world! Meth is evil. So very GRATEFUL they caught these 2!


9

One of the fundamental principles of capitalism is the idea that producers of goods be required to pay the true cost of bringing their product to market. Here we have an illegal business, but a business nonetheless and the death of one of its consumers is not a cost the public should have to bear.


I know for many people, especially those who populate these CCN comment sections, “regulation” is a dirty word. However, regulations that make sense are ones that keep businesses from externalizing their costs of bringing their product to market onto the public. For example, the sale of opioids is regulated to the point of full restriction because we do not, as a society, want to pay the true cost of bringing that drug to market. The cost of which is death, addiction, or all the misery that comes from addiction.


This should be true for all businesses. An oil company that spills its oil should pay for its clean up rather than forcing the public to pay those costs as has happened with BP in the Gulf of Mexico and Exxon in Valdez, Alaska. The petrochemical company that kills farm workers with its pesticides or a company like Ford, who knowingly allows people to burn to death because their accountants say it would be cheaper to pay the wrongful death lawsuits than a recall of their vehicles.


So, yeah I’m okay with these charges, but would like to see this principle carried out across our entire capitalist board


7

A sad story for sure, but hopefully we’re starting to see a shift in this horrifying drug that has taken so many lives. Maybe a wake up call to those dealing deadly drugs that there are severe consequences.


23

If this couple is guilty of what they are accused of, it would be justice not only for the family of their victim but also for other families who have lost loved ones from fentanyl overdoses. Timothy Clark Wolfe received 14 years for the murder of Emilio Velci. Not nearly long enough in my opinion. People who peddle drugs for money and risk the lives of innocent people, in the case of Emilio nothing more than a beautiful young man with a painful toothache, are truly the dregs of society. They have no right to freedom. Ever! Ms. Alalia and Mr. Lagunas-Garcia if they are proven guilty should get the maximum sentences available. Let this be a message to those who are out there exploiting peoples lives for money.


52

So NorthCountyLady because someone helps another person get what they believed to be pain medication and the one in pain dies because neither person had knowledge of what was in the pill, you think the one still living should get more than 14 years and be charged with murder? Kind of harsh don’t you think? Sounds to me like they made an example out of this young man. Sentences should be straight across the board for everyone and not because a victim is related to someone in power. This young man should have never gotten the sentence he got. Abuse of power. Can’t bring the young man back which by the way had a choice on taking the pill or not.


1