The HFD firefighter was caught with 1,684 grams of fake Adderall and 253 grams of Xanax, authorities said.

HOUSTON. A 31-year-old Houston Fire Department firefighter is facing serious drug possession charges after he was caught with fake Adderall and Xanax, according to authorities.

Edwin Balmore Gutierrez was arrested in a joint investigation by the DEA, the Houston Police Department and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, officials said.

He was charged with possession with intent to deliver more than 400 grams of a controlled substance in fine group 1, and manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance in fine group 2 from 4 to 400 grams. Both charges are criminal offences.

The authorities said the joint investigation found that the authorities knew where the pills were made and also knew the people involved. They said methamphetamine and fentanyl were mixed with pills and sold as Adderall.

“Fentanyl poses an extreme danger to society. It is about 200 times stronger than heroin – 175 people die from fentanyl poisoning every day in the United States. Someone (dies) every eight and a half minutes. Yes, it is riddled with a lot of things that people don’t know about. It’s really dangerous,” Judge Lisa Porter said at Gutierrez’s hearing.

Gutiérrez was identified as the runner and investigators said they saw him pick up pills and deliver them to people. They said he sold the pills to undercover DEA agents on several occasions.

Gutierrez had 1,684 grams of counterfeit Adderall and 253 grams of Xanax when he was caught, according to authorities.

Gutiérrez has lived in the Houston area all his life and has worked as a firefighter and emergency medical officer for HFD for more than four years, court officials said. According to the paperwork he filled out, he worked for Houston Fire Station 9. Prior to joining HFD, Gutierrez worked for about five years in another private ambulance service, authorities said.

He appeared in court on Monday, where the judge set his bail at $150,000 on one charge and $30,000 on another charge. He posted bail on Tuesday.

Fire Chief Sam Peña issued a statement:

“The alleged actions of this individual do not reflect the character and values ​​of the nearly 4,000 members of our department. These are serious allegations and, if true, will result in the firefighter being fired.”