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A 31-year-old from El Salvador facing a final deportation order was arrested last week on charges of distributing fentanyl near a Virginia high school, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Isaac Melendez-Carranza was taken into custody on August 20 and is being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center, with ICE lodging a detainer against him the same day.
An immigration judge issued Melendez-Carranza a final removal order on July 18, 2024. Despite this order, he was encountered in Sterling, Virginia on August 16, 2024, but no enforcement action was taken at that time, DHS officials said.
Melendez-Carranza was first arrested by U.S. Border Patrol near Hebbronville, Texas on May 3, 2016 after illegally crossing the Rio Grande. He was released on bond on July 13, 2016, and remained in the United States for years afterward.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office linked Melendez-Carranza to overdoses involving Park View High School students in May. Deputies recovered approximately 100 pills and roughly $1,000 in cash during a search of his residence.
Two students suffered nonfatal suspected overdoses during school hours in May, with additional students evaluated at a local hospital after exhibiting concerning symptoms, Loudoun County Public Schools confirmed at the time.
Sheriff Mike Chapman emphasized the severity of the situation, noting that illegal drugs were reaching local students. Chapman stated that Melendez-Carranza will be transferred to ICE custody once his local criminal charges are resolved, with additional arrests possible in the investigation.
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