Fort Pierce - Tuesday May 23, 2023: In Fort Pierce Tuesday U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon sentenced 46 year old Christopher Jon Bauer of Micco to 15 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
The Sebastian Police Department (SPD) received a Treasure Coast Crime Stopper complaint about Bauer making fentanyl purchases on the dark web and mailing them to a co-defendant, according to a release from the U.S. Attorny's Office.
After the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) confirmed that several packages had been mailed to the co-defendant in Sebastian Police Officers and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents set up surveillance at the Post Office in Sebastian.
During the surveillance, they observed Bauer arriving in a red Cadillac SUV, with a passenger, who went into the post office and returned to Bauer’s vehicle carrying an Express package.
When Sebastian Police Detectives attempted to stop the vehicle, Bauer fled, leading police on a lengthy high-speed pursuit, which resulted in Bauer's vehicle becoming disabled.
The total quantities of narcotics seized following Bauer’s arrest were about 65 grams of fentanyl, 12.53 grams of methamphetamine, and a small amount of cocaine. Bauer received at least 16 shipments of fentanyl, totaling nearly one kilogram.
Bauer and his passenger were placed under arrest. The identify of the passenger has not released.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, and Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, announced the sentence.
HSI Fort Pierce Office and USPIS Miami investigated the case, with assistance from SPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hudock prosecuted it. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marx Calderon is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 22-cr-14068.