A Long Beach man and leader of a narcotics distribution ring pleaded guilty Monday morning to federal drug trafficking charges and admitted importing a powerful synthetic opioid from China that was used to make homemade pills that were distributed in bulk across the country.
Gary Resnik, 32, pleaded guilty to two felony offenses—conspiracy to manufacture and distribute narcotics (including acetylfentanyl and ecstasy) and possession with the intent to distribute acetylfentanyl, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Authorities said Resnik led a conspiracy that imported acetylfentanyl, a drug very similar to fentanyl, a powerful and highly addictive opioid. Acetylfentanyl is many times more potent than heroin and not approved for any use in the United States.
“In a plea agreement filed in federal court, Resnik admitted importing from China bulk chemicals that were used to manufacture narcotics, including acetylfenatnyl,” according to a release. “The drug organization also obtained pill presses from China that were used illegally to make tablets in labs in Long Beach and Baldwin Park. Resnik acknowledged that DEA agents seized over 9 kilograms of acetylfentanyl from the organization.”
During an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, authorities seized various types of narcotics, including opiate pills containing aceylfentanyl, Xanax pills and ecstasy pills, from a man who had just purchased the drugs from members of the drug trafficking organization, the release stated.
Resnik faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each of the two counts when he is scheduled to be sentenced February 26.