2 men sentenced to prison for drug trafficking in Arizona

PHOENIX — Two men were recently sentenced to prison in separate cases for involvement in a drug trafficking organization, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office said this week.

Jovanni Limon Salas was sentenced earlier this month to four years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit transportation of a dangerous drug (methamphetamine) for sale, while Diego Ediel Chaparro was sentenced last month to 3.5 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of attempt to commit possession of a narcotic drug (fentanyl) for sale.

Salas was arrested in May 2021 after police, while investigating a suspected drug trafficker, observed a drug deal occur in a parking lot, according to a press release.

Police stopped Salas, who was on felony probation for a weapons charge, after he drove away from the drug deal and recovered 1/3 pound of methamphetamine, 1,000 fentanyl pills and drug paraphernalia, authorities said.

Salas faces four years of intensive probation after being released from prison for the weapons charge, authorities said.

Chaparro, meanwhile, was arrested in December 2021 after police observed him also conduct a drug transaction in a parking lot, according to a press release.

Police upon arresting Chaparro found 45,000 fentanyl pills and located an additional 122,000 fentanyl pills, six kilograms of fentanyl powder, money and packaging materials after conducting a search warrant at his home, authorities said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Scottsdale Police Department and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office investigated Salas, while the Gilbert Police Department investigated Chaparro.

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