Lorton Man Gets 22-Year Prison Sentence In Woman's Fatal Overdose

LORTON, VA — A federal judge sentenced a Lorton man on Tuesday to 22 years in prison for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 29-year-old woman in 2020, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Julian Velasquez, 36, distributed counterfeit Xanax laced with fentanyl to the woman, which caused her death by accidental fentanyl intoxication, court records show.

Narcotics distributed by Velasquez are also linked to two other fatal overdoses, one in 2017 and the other in 2018, Jessica Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said Wednesday at a news conference at Fairfax County Police headquarters.

"I hope that the knowledge that this offender, Mr. Velasquez, will be spending over two decades in prison for his crimes, where he cannot distribute drugs in our community, will bring some measure of comfort to our community and to the families of these victims," Aber said.

Drug dealers are lacing less potent drugs like Xanax with fentanyl throughout the region, often without the knowledge of their customers, she said. It takes only 2 milligrams of fentanyl — "a mere dusting" — to kill someone, she added.

In 2021, national deaths from the use of synthetic opioids outpaced overdose deaths from cocaine and psychostimulants like methamphetamines combined.

"Substance abuse disorder is an issue in this country obviously and that's why we all wanted to have this press conference because it's an issue that crosses gender, race, age and socioeconomic lines," Aber noted.

Because of the growing number of drug overdose deaths, the Fairfax County Police Department created a team of seven police officers in August 2018. The officers are dedicated to investigating fatal and nonfatal drug overdoses in the county.

This full-time overdose investigations unit is "unique" in the United States, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said at the news conference. "It's because of their expertise and their full-time dedication to that very serious epidemic that exists here and elsewhere that we are able to realize these important moments and put people who belong in prison in prison," Davis said.

On Aug. 8, 2020, the woman, whose name was not released by officials, flew from California to visit Velasquez and stayed at his residence. Either late on Aug. 8, 2020, or in the morning of Aug. 9, 2020, the woman took a pressed Xanax pill laced with fentanyl provided by Velasquez.

On Aug. 9, 2020, Velasquez found the woman unresponsive but did not call 911 or seek medical assistance for her, Aber said.

Velasquez instead called his friend and drug customer, Enoel Comsti, 27, of Vienna, to assist in removing evidence of drug use and drug distribution from the crime scene at Velasquez’s residence.

Velasquez distributed heroin to Comsti in exchange for Comsti’s assistance in removing and concealing evidence of the drug overdose from the residence, prosecutors said.

When he returned to his residence after hiding the evidence, Velasquez called 911 to request medical assistance for the woman, according to prosecutors. During the 911 call, Velasquez made false statements to emergency medical services about the woman's condition and denied the possibility of the woman suffering from a drug overdose, Aber said.

When first responders arrived, they found the woman dead in Velasquez’s bedroom.

In the case, Comsti pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting tampering with evidence and was sentenced to 21 months in prison.

The FBI's Washington Field Office Criminal Division worked with the FCPD on the case.