Man arrested for selling cocaine laced with fentanyl to musician who died

José Raquel Lerma, 32, who had been indicted for selling cocaine laced with fentanyl to musicians who performed in McAllen in 2020, an incident in which one of them died, faces new charges after federal marshals conducted a search at his home in Weslaco.

During the operation, the agents allegedly found drugs, money, ammunition, and two firearms. Now, the man faces a federal charge for possession of a firearm by a convict. In the state forum Lerma has pending the case for the death of Sergio Sánchez, 29 years old and a resident of Alamo. The trombonist of the Banda Sinaloense de Chuy García died after allegedly consuming the drug.

In relation to this case, in May 2021 Lerma was formally charged five counts of distribution and/or delivery of a controlled substance, primarily cocaine in an amount greater than one gram, but less than four grams. The defendant is currently free on bail.

According to the authorities, Lerma has a criminal record prior to the crimes that he is now accused of. In April 2009 he was convicted of one count of possession of a firearm, in October 2015 he was found guilty of one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of possession of a controlled substance. Police suspect the defendant is a member of the Po Boys gang.

Two other members of the Sinaloense Band the New Generation of Chuy Hernández are hospitalized in intensive care.

The incident in which Sánchez was killed occurred on Saturday, November 14, 2021, at The Old Beer House located in the 400 block of South 17th Street, in McAllen. In this place he performed with the Sinaloense Band La Nueva Generación de Chuy Hernández.

At that time two members of the group were arrested. They were Víctor Manuel Soto, 28 years old and a resident of San Juan, and José Eduardo Paredes Franco, 27 years old and a resident of McAllen. Both were at that time trumpeters in the band. Soto and Paredes Franco were charged with possession of controlled substances.

In relation to the death of the trombonist, the authorities also arrested two more people who are allegedly connected to this case. They are Maricela López and Ricardo Melvin McDaniel. According to the authorities, López is a partner of Lerma and McDaniel allegedly belongs to another gang, possibly Valluco.

The suspects are accused of selling drugs to members of a gang. One man died and three others were hospitalized.

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Man arrested for selling cocaine laced with fentanyl to musician who died