An Oakland teen became a fentanyl tycoon, feds say. He now blames grandma’s cancer diagnosis

OAKLAND — He started selling fentanyl on Bay Area streets as a boy.

By age 18, prosecutors say he was directing a multi-state ring that stockpiled the deadly powder by the kilogram, sold ounces of it at at a time, and had ongoing plans to obtain more from the Cartel Jalisco New Generation in Mexico. Now, because of all this, 19-year-old Eldin Miralda Cruz will spend the remainder of his teens and part of his 20s in federal prison.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar sentenced Miralda Cruz was to four years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, a federal offense that likely would have resulted in a higher prison term if not for his young age, according to court records. Prosecutors describe Miralda Cruz as “a hard-working, independent, and entrepreneurial young dr