Honduran Dealer Faces Federal Charges After Oregon Man’s Fatal Overdose

A 30-year-old alleged fentanyl dealer, Alizon Vladimir Medina Varela, of Honduras, appeared in court on Thursday facing federal charges after the overdose death of a Gresham man whose name has not been released.

Medina Varela was accused of supplying the fentanyl that ended up with the Gresham man who died of a suspected overdose last month after the Special Investigations Unit attached to the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office tracked the suppliers by sifting through text messages on the dead man’s cellphone.

The court documents indicate that police identified the person who sold to the Gresham man before working their way up to determine the bigger supply source.

On Tuesday, an undercover officer set up a buy from the alleged supplier, who is higher up in the chain, and arrested Varela when he showed up for the deal. Police seized about 140 grams of fentanyl from inside his car. The investigators are awaiting final toxicology results on the man who died.

Medina Varela was ordered to remain in custody as the case proceeds.