Drug dealer behind TikTok star Cooper Noriega's death receives 27-year sentence

A federal judge sentenced Erick Oved Estrada to 27 years for operating a same-day drug delivery network that supplied the fentanyl-laced pills that killed TikTok influencer Cooper Noriega.

Federal sentencing on Thursday saw Erick Oved Estrada, also known as “Franco Sanchez” and “Eric Freddy Hook,” receive 27 years in prison for managing a rapid-delivery drug scheme that provided cocaine and fentanyl-tainted oxycodone. The operation, described as a “DoorDash for Drugs,” was linked to the overdose death of 19-year-old TikTok star Cooper Noriega on June 9, 2022. Estrada, held in federal custody since November 2023, had earlier admitted guilt to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death and to fentanyl distribution resulting in death.

Arian Alani, 37, who sold the lethal pills to Noriega, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and is scheduled for sentencing in December. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS Criminal Investigation, and the court ordered Estrada to pay $43,145 in restitution. Additional victims have been identified, including a person who bought Xanax and oxycodone from Estrada’s driver and later died of an overdose.