‘Innovative’ Florida man who used the U.S. Postal Service to receive large quantities of drugs from California gets lengthy federal prison sentence
Florida – A Florida man has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking scheme that moved large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl across the country via the U.S. Postal Service.
According to the Department of Justice, Durand Dijuon Demetiu Colbert, 35, received the sentence from U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber after pleading guilty last September to several federal drug charges, including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Federal authorities say Colbert teamed up with 28-year-old Esdras Joel Garcia De La Rosa of California to move dangerous narcotics from California to Florida. De La Rosa was identified as the source of the drugs. According to court records, he regularly mailed packages containing methamphetamine and fentanyl to Colbert, who would then handle distribution in and around Lee County.
Investigators from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on Colbert’s residence in Fort Myers on November 17, 2023. During the search, they discovered around 1,700 fentanyl pills inside the home. Authorities later confirmed that the pills had been shipped to Colbert by De La Rosa.
The case drew attention not just because of the types of drugs involved, but also due to the method of distribution. Using the U.S. mail and other delivery services to transport illegal substances has become an increasing concern for law enforcement agencies across the country. In this instance, the collaboration between federal and local agencies helped to disrupt a drug pipeline stretching from the West Coast to Southwest Florida.
De La Rosa, who pleaded guilty to his involvement earlier, was sentenced in April 2025 to nine years in federal prison.
The investigation was led by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Morgan prosecuted the case on behalf of the federal government.
Officials have emphasized the importance of inter-agency cooperation in targeting and dismantling drug trafficking networks, especially those involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which have fueled a nationwide overdose crisis.
