California drug trafficker sentenced to over eight years in prison

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A California woman was sentenced today to eight years and eight months in prison for her part in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.

According to court documents, in September 2022, Lily Marlene Contreras Lopez, 35, took over the drug-trafficking business of her romantic partner, who was arrested on firearms and narcotics charges in California. One of her customers was Chase Scott Jones, 27, who supplied drugs to Sean Michael Johnson, 26, a long-time supplier of narcotics to customers across the nation.

Law enforcement learned that, dating back to at least May 2020, Johnson had sold tens of thousands of fentanyl pills to an individual in Virginia. An undercover officer contacted Johnson to gauge his fentanyl drug supply. Law enforcement made a total of six controlled purchases from the conspiracy beginning in January 2023. Johnson negotiated the controlled purchases with the undercover officer and sent the details to Jones, who then sourced most of the drugs from Contreras Lopez.

The fifth and six controlled purchases were conducted in person in California. The sixth deal involved 100 pounds of meth and 10 kilograms of fentanyl powder. On Dec. 6, 2023, before the deal took place, Contreras Lopez distributed the meth to Jones. Jones then proceeded to the deal location, with Contreras Lopez waiting nearby to complete the transactions. After Jones distributed the meth to the undercover officer, both Jones and Contreras Lopez were arrested.

During searches of Contreras Lopez's apartment and storage, law enforcement recovered two kilograms of fentanyl powder, five handguns, a digital scale, a money counter, several empty promethazine bottles, and drug ledgers.

On Feb. 29, Johnson pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and meth. Johnson was sentenced on May 29 to eight years and six months in prison.

On Feb. 4, Jones pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and meth. Jones was sentenced on June 6 to 10 years in prison.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James VanVliet, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Washington Division; David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Peter Newsham, Chief of Prince William County Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Carter prosecuted the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-46.