Eduardo Valenzuela Lopez, 33, of Cajeme, Sonora, Mexico, and Jael Gonzalez Banuelos, 22, of Phoenix, Arizona, were arrested on the morning of Feb. 24, 2026, by members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Valenzuela Lopez and Gonzalez Banuelos were charged by criminal complaint with conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Valenzuela Lopez and Gonzalez Banuelos had their respective initial appearances on Feb. 25, 2026.
From early February 2026 through February 24, 2026, Valenzuela Lopez allegedly negotiated and coordinated the sale and delivery of approximately 50,000 fentanyl pills. Law enforcement officers became aware of the deal and tried to arrest Valenzuela Lopez and Gonzalez Banuelos as they delivered the pills. When agents approached their vehicle, Valenzuela Lopez, who is illegally present in the United States, allegedly opened fire on law enforcement officers. In response, law enforcement officers returned fire. No injuries or fatalities resulted, and law enforcement officers subsequently arrested Valenzuela Lopez and Gonzalez Banuelos. Investigators discovered a firearm on the ground by the driver’s side of the fentanyl pill transport vehicle, as well as approximately 50,000 fentanyl pills in the passenger compartment.
A conviction for possessing 400 grams or more of fentanyl for distribution carries a 10-year minimum-mandatory sentence, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least five (5) years, up to life.
The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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