A man who used a seven-year-old child to hold 23,000 fentanyl pills was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office officials report 57-year-old Vincent Benny Peraza was sentenced in October in Yavapai County Superior Court. His charges include involving or using a minor in a drug offense and the transportation or sale of narcotic drugs.
YCSO officials say a K9 deputy conducted a lawful traffic stop near Cordes Junction on July 13, 2021. Peraza was seated in the back seat of the car next to the child. As the occupants exited the vehicle, the child was seen holding a backpack and told deputies Peraza gave it to him.
Here is audio from one of the deputies on the traffic stop:
Deputies found approximately 23,000 fentanyl pills inside the bag. YCSO officials add that because even minimal exposure to the drug can be fatal, Peraza’s actions placed the child in imminent danger of death or serious injury. Peraza was hired for $1,000 to facilitate the drug transaction.