United States Drug Enforcement Administration

ATLANTA - Abelardo Avila Gomez, an illegal alien who was previously deported from the United States, appeared in federal court to face charges related to his alleged trafficking of 37 pounds of fentanyl from a Brookhaven apartment.  

“Avila Gomez allegedly trafficked a staggering amount of deadly fentanyl stored in his metro Atlanta apartment,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Diligent efforts by our law enforcement partners stopped this illegal alien and removed his lethal stash from our streets.”  

“With the seizure of 17.9 kilograms of fentanyl, our agents have removed an extraordinary amount of deadly poison from the streets,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Fentanyl is measured in milligrams, not grams and this quantity had the potential to cause catastrophic harm. Through the Fentanyl Free America campaign, DEA and our law enforcement partners are aggressively targeting every level of the supply chain. Our mission is to save lives and protect our communities from those who profit off addiction and death.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg and the criminal complaint filed in federal court: On February 19, 2026, DEA Atlanta agents executed a federal search warrant at a Brookhaven apartment, where they located 15 rectangular-shaped “bricks” of fentanyl, weighing a total of approximately 37 pounds. Agents arrested Avila Gomez in the apartment parking lot, who allegedly confirmed that he lived in the apartment, illegally reentered the United States in March 2023, and was involved in the distribution of fentanyl.  

The investigation further revealed that Avila Gomez is a citizen and national of Mexico with no legal status in the United States. Immigration records allegedly confirm that Avila Gomez was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in November 2014.  

Abelardo Avila Gomez, 46, of Acapulco, Mexico, appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge earlier today on a criminal complaint that charged him with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and illegal re-entry by a previously removed alien.

Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance provided by the Atlanta Police Department, Doraville Police Department, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, Dekalb County Police Department, Georgia Department of Community Supervision, Clayton County Police Department, Walton County Sheriff’s Office, and Sandy Springs Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney James Hwang is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.