Drug Trafficking, Weapon Charges End In Prison Sentence For VA Man

ANNANDALE, VA — A 20-year-old Annandale man was sentenced in federal court on Thursday to 15 years in prison on firearm and drug trafficking charges, according to court records.

On June 20, 2024, officers observed Marcantonio Juarez Velasquez conducting a hand-to-hand narcotics transaction in Fairfax County, according to court records. When Juarez Velasquez was arrested on Aug. 2, 2024, investigators recovered a handgun, an extended magazine containing 15 rounds of ammunition, $949.83, and 258 fentanyl pills.

While in police custody awaiting trial, Juarez Velasquez told a minor to hide fentanyl pills, a firearm, and cash within the suspect's residence, according to court records.

On Aug. 6, 2024, officers searched Juarez Velasquez's home, recovering 9,220 fentanyl pills, $2,344, a handgun, and two ammunition magazines. They also found an identification card and debit card belonging to the suspect, according court documents.

On Thursday, Juarez Velasquez appeared in U.S. District Court for Eastern Virginia in Alexandria, where he was sentenced to 15 years in prison or possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, court records say.