A federal judge sentenced a Los Angeles man to life in prison for selling fentanyl that caused the death of a Vero Beach resident and then trafficking the drug two days later. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon imposed the sentence on Alfonso Guerrero, 39, of Los Angeles, after a federal jury convicted him in May 2026 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
On May 16, 2023, Guerrero sold 0.1 gram of fentanyl, commonly known as a point, in exchange for another controlled substance known as molly in Indian River County. The transaction was captured on a doorbell camera. Hours later, David Eller was found dead inside his Vero Beach home. Investigators recovered drug paraphernalia, including a small piece of burnt aluminum foil that Eller used to receive the fentanyl from Guerrero on his front porch, near his body.
Two days later, on May 18, 2023, Guerrero was arrested and found in possession of additional quantities of fentanyl intended for distribution. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida said a tenth of a gram of fentanyl, about the size of a small pinch of salt, was enough to kill Eller. The prosecutor emphasized that Guerrero sold the fentanyl that killed his friend and just two days later was caught carrying more fentanil for distribution.
Guerrero's criminal history included documented gang membership and prior convictions for attempted robbery with a firearm in California, aggravated assault in Georgia, and cocaine and fentanyl possession offenses in Florida. Federal prosecutors said the life sentence reflects the consequence of his deadly conduct and his long record of violence and crime.