SAN DIEGO — Sean O’Connor of Oceanside was sentenced in federal court to 10 years in prison June 17 for money laundering and firearms and drug trafficking offenses, including distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana and alprazolam.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department and the San Diego District Attorney’s Office.
“This convicted criminal will spend a decade in prison allowing him the opportunity to think of his reckless actions uncovered by special agents with HSI and our partner agencies,” said HSI San Diego acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Davis. “HSI prioritizes protecting communities against illicit drugs and activity that cause irreparable damage to those involved. HSI is determined to apply all the tools in our investigative arsenal to counter the fight against drugs.”
According to O’Connor’s plea agreement, deputies with the San Diego Sheriff’s Department executed court-authorized search warrants on the defendant’s residence and car on Feb. 28, 2023. Deputies seized a semiautomatic pistol; 2,617 fentanyl tablets; 209 methamphetamine tablets; 24.19 grams of cocaine; 4,384 alprazolam tablets; and 1,549 grams of marijuana. Deputies also seized about $150,000 in U.S. currency and 0.27 in Bitcoin, which he has admitted were proceeds from drug trafficking.
According to the United States’ sentencing memorandum, the defendant demonstrated callousness and extreme disregard for human life. In one text exchange, he called people who overdose on fentanyl “dummies” and bragged on social media about the product he was selling and the amount of money he was making through drug dealing. He also posted photographs of himself on Instagram with cash and drugs.
“This significant sentence of a prolific North County drug dealer is a meaningful victory for public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “By removing dangerous criminals, weapons, and drugs from our streets, we are ensuring a safer community for all.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Akhtar.
This prosecution was a result of the efforts of the Fentanyl Abatement Suppression Team. Formed in September 2022, the group known as FAST is a multiagency task force led by Homeland Security Investigations working in conjunction with state and local agencies to target significant fentanyl distributors in San Diego County. FAST is an initiative under the San Diego Imperial Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, whose mission is to identify and disrupt fentanyl smuggling and distribution networks in San Diego County.
About HSI
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce consists of over 10,000 employees, assigned to 235 offices within the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI's international presence represents the Department of Homeland Security’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.