Influencer Cooper Noriega’s overdose death tied to evil ‘DoorDash for Drugs’ scheme

By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-07 15:10:54 | Updated at 2026-08-07 17:55:11 2 hours ago

The despicable drug dealer who operated an evil “DoorDash for Drugs” scheme responsible for the death of TikTok star Cooper Noriega was sentenced to 27 years in prison Thursday.

United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald handed down the heavy sentence to Erick Oved Estrada, 37, a.k.a. “Franco Sanchez” and “Eric Freddy Hook.”

TikTok star Cooper Noriega died of a fatal overdose on June 9, 2022. Instagram / @cooper.noriega
TikTok star Cooper Noriega died of a fatal overdose on June 9, 2022. Two men have been arrested for allegedly supplying Noriega with the drugs that caused his death. Instagram / @cooper.noriega

Estrada had been in federal custody since November 2023 for an alleged drug trafficking operation that provided same-day delivery of cocaine and fentanyl-laced oxycodone that killed at least two people.

He also sold the fatal pills to a drug dealer and co-defendant Arian Alani, 37, who sold Noriega fatal fentanyl-laced pills on June 9, 2022. Two days after the sale, Alani texted Estrada, “my boy just died yesterday,” and that Estrada “[s]houldn’t be selling [expletive] with fentanyl.”

Alani pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and is scheduled for sentencing in December.

Noreiga had nearly 2 million TikTok followers at the time of his death at 19. He had uploaded an eerie TikTok video about dying “young af ”hours before his death.

TikTok star Cooper Noriega died of a fatal overdose on June 9, 2022. Two men have been arrested for allegedly supplying Noriega with the drugs that caused his death. TikTok / @coopernoriega
Months after Noriega’s death, a victim identified as “S.M.” bought two Xanax pills and two oxycodone pills for $80 from a driver acting on behalf of Estrada. The victim then returned home, ingested the pills, and died of a drug overdose. Getty Images
TikTok star Cooper Noriega, who died of a fatal overdose on June 9, 2022. Two men have been arrested for allegedly supplying Noriega with the drugs that caused his death. Instagram / @cooper.noriega

The tragic news broke after a samaritan called emergency services after finding the influencer unconscious in the parking lot of a mall near Los Angeles. Despite arriving on the scene shortly thereafter, paramedics were unable to resuscitate Noriega.

Months after Noriega’s death, a victim identified as “S.M.” bought two Xanax pills and two oxycodone pills for $80 from a driver acting on behalf of Estrada. The victim then returned home, ingested the pills, and died of a drug overdose.

Estrada previously pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death and one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS Criminal Investigation agencies led the case.

Estrada has also been ordered to pay $43,145 in restitution for his crimes.


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