Teen’s possible opioid-laced marijuana death leads to Buckeye drug, firearm dealer

A death involving a teenager who smoked marijuana and later exhibited signs of an opioid overdose has led police to an illegal marijuana and firearm sales operation based in Buckeye, covering various cities in the West Valley, according to Maricopa Superior Court documents.

The 17-year-old overdose victim was found unresponsive in his garage on May 17, next to a marijuana-smoking pipe, according to a Buckeye police report. He was later pronounced dead after he was taken to a nearby hospital.

There, it was determined that the victim showed signs of an opioid overdose due to his brain being swollen, according to the hospital, via the police report. The victim's parents also told police he showed signs of an overdose after smoking, days before his death.

When police responded to the scene, they reviewed surveillance footage from a neighbor to find several subjects, including a male with a rifle slung across his body, walking toward the victim’s residence before the incident, according to reports. Police suggested in the report that the rifle-carrying individual may have been the key suspect.

“It is reasonable to believe this is the subject who may have sold marijuana to the victim prior to his death,” the officer wrote.

The victim's parents told Buckeye police their son used to coordinate marijuana purchases through social media. Police were to identify a suspect through social media communications after the victim’s death, revealing Instagram accounts associated with drug chats.

Police obtained a search warrant for various Instagram messages, revealing a principal suspect, Xavier Villegas, 19, who used the handle “LOC_FRM300.” Investigators have not tied Villegas to the victim's death, according to court documents.

 

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According to police, Villegas was allegedly selling marijuana, exotic THC products, and firearms across five cities. Authorities linked him to 87 users or transactions, including one involving the deceased teen.

Villegas allegedly sent multiple pictures of guns, rifles and drugs to those IG users across the West Valley, according to a police investigation.

“Xavier appears to be selling marijuana, THC products, and firearms throughout the city of Buckeye, city of Goodyear, city of Avondale, city of Tolleson and the city of Phoenix,” Police wrote. “Xavier will frequently drive to each city to conduct drug and/or firearms transactions.”

Police staked out Villegas’s residence in early June, observing him allegedly selling products to visitors. They later arrested him at his home at the Buckeye Villa Apartments near the intersection of Ninth Street and Monroe Avenue.

Buckeye police told InBuckeye they intend to investigate all drug-related crimes thoroughly.

"People are losing their lives every day due to opioid overdoses across the country. The Buckeye Police Department is committed to aggressively going after dealers to stop trafficking of dangerous drugs into our community and prevent loss of life," they wrote, in a statement. "The department has investigators assigned to the Maricopa County Drug Suppression Task Force (MCDST) with the primary goal of disrupting drug trafficking operations throughout the valley and holding offenders accountable. Partnership with this task force also gives our department access to additional resources to thoroughly investigate drug-related crimes in our city. We encourage residents to please report suspicious activity to assist in our efforts to protect our community."

Villegas is currently being charged with possessing a weapon in a drug offense and illegally selling marijuana, both class four felony counts.