San Jose man gets 14 months for 15,000 fentanyl pills

SAN JOSE — A local resident was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for attempting to transport 15,000 fentanyl pills from Long Beach back to the Bay Area, court records show.

Kasra Saadiyeh, 29, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and intent to distribute fentanyl, stemming from a June 9, 2023 drug bust in Gilroy. Prosecutors say Saadiyeh arranged to acquire pills containing fentanyl from a Southern California man named Daniel Ruiz-Morales, who he’d made similar purchases from before.

The men didn’t know it, but their phones were being wiretapped by federal authorities, who relayed information to Long Beach police. A K9 officer pulled Saadiyeh over but was unable to find the drugs, despite Saadiyeh “freezing in fear” during the search. Finally, several hours later, a California Highway Patrol officer pulled Saadiyeh over in Gilroy and found the pills, thanks in no small part to Saadiyeh having mentioned to Ruiz-Morales where they’d been stashed, a communication that was intercepted on the wiretap, according to court records.

Ruiz-Morales was sentenced last December to 25 months in prison, court records show. Prosecutors asked for a 53-month prison term for Saadiyeh, while his attorney argued that it would be better if he was sent to house arrest followed by supervised release with a “strict curfew” instead.

“Since his release from pretrial custody, (Saadiyeh) has demonstrated extraordinary post-offense rehabilitation which both eradicated the roots of his criminal behavior and provide assurance that he will now continue to live a law-abiding…and caring for his seriously ill mother,” a defense sentencing memo says.

Senior U.S. District Judge Edward Davila imposed the 14-month prison term earlier this month, along with a non-binding recommendation he be sentenced at a “camp” in Santa Clara County. The sentencing order gives Saadiyeh until next March to report to prison.