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A man suspected of being a drug dealer out of Mesa has been federally charged in connection with a 2015 overdose death.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 32-year-old Daniel George Luntraru is charged with one count of distribution of heroin resulting in death and serious bodily injury, one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and three counts of distribution of heroin. 

Federal officials say the charges stem from when Luntraru gave heroin to a man in March 2015 who later died after using it, and from when he possessed and/or distributed heroin four other times in Arizona between May and June of this year.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Mesa Police Department investigated the case.

Heroin, meth, gambling receipts seized 

According to court documents, investigators from the DEA began surveillance on Luntraru’s residence beginning on March 30. Investigators observed Luntraru’s interactions with several individuals and obtained his cellphone number from one of these people, documents state. 

Investigators later obtained a search warrant to view Luntraru’s phone and found multiple text messages from Luntraru related to drug transactions, court records say.

On a later date, court documents show investigators from the DEA used a confidential source who had bought drugs from Luntraru before, to make a controlled purchase of about 1 gram of heroin on two separate occasions. 

According to records, investigators obtained a search warrant for Luntraru’s residence on June 8, and arrested Luntraru and his cousin, Razvan Stephan, without incident. Investigators seized heroin, meth and gambling receipts from his residence, court documents say. 

If convicted, Luntraru could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years or a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office statement.   

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