HOUSTON – A man accused of distributing fentanyl pills on multiple occasions in west Houston has been arrested, according to Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Juan Jose Resendez, 45, was charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in Harris County between 2022 and 2023.
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According to an arrest warrant, a task force officer with the HCSO Violent Crime Unit began conducting an investigation on a group of people considered to be violent that was selling narcotics in the 2300 block of S. Kirkwood.
Documents said the group was known to operate in front of a small strip center, where they also committed shootings.
On Dec. 2, 2022, deputies said they used an informant to act as if they were purchasing drugs in order to get more information on the source of supply in the area. During the “controlled buy,” investigators said the informant purchased marijuana from a man named Deandre Christal, who was also seen by officers near the strip mall. Christal reportedly gave the informant a phone number to call.
Investigators said they issued a subpoena for the phone number and discovered belonged to Resendez. The informant contacted the suspect and negotiated for the purchase of 50 M30 pills, which contain fentanyl.
During the drug purchase that reportedly happened at the Almeda Mall located at 12200 Gulf Fwy, task force officers said they watched the informant meet with the driver of a gray Honda Odyssey. The informant and the driver allegedly made a hand-to-hand exchange through the window of the vehicle for 58 blue M30 pills for $450. After authorities searched the vehicle’s license plate number, they saw that it belonged to a family member of Resendez. An automated fingerprint identification system booking photo was pulled up by authorities and deputies said the informant positively identified Resendez as the suspect who provided the pills. Investigators said they learned the suspect was already on federal supervised release for narcotics trafficking.
After the pills were purchased and submitted to the FBI lab for testing, investigators said the results showed that the pills had a total weight of 5.72 grams and tested positive for fentanyl.
On Jan. 25, 2023, investigators said the informant also purchased 100 M30 pills from Resendez. Resendez told the informant he wouldn’t be able to meet with him this time and sent a carrier referred to as “Dead Head” to make the delivery at the Almeda Mall. During the exchange, which was captured by audio and video, the informant received 102 M30 pills for $900. These pills also tested positive for fentanyl, authorities said.
Documents state that authorities obtained phone records that reflected Resendez’s number and those working for him around the time of the drug purchases.
On March 3, deputies said the informant contacted Resendez again to negotiate a purchase of 1,000 M30 pills. Resendez allegedly told the informant he was unavailable and sent a courier to the Almeda Mall to make the delivery instead. Deputies said another man working for Resendez exchanged 987 pills for $5,500.
Court documents said Resendez was arrested on June 12, 2023. He was given a $50,000 restricted surety bond and has since bailed out of jail.
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