Man conspiring to distribute counterfeit pills with fentanyl in Arizona sentenced
Dec 14, 2023, 7:08 AM | Updated: 7:10 am
A Mexican man was recently sentenced by a United States district judge to 12 years in prison for conspiring to distribute about 90,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. (Tommy Farmer/Associated Press File)
(Tommy Farmer/Associated Press File)
PHOENIX — A Mexican man was sentenced by a United States district judge last week to 12 years in prison for conspiring to distribute about 90,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
Pilar Angel Leon-Beltran, 44, of Sinaloa, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on March 22, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona said.
Leon-Beltran also admitted to violating a condition of his supervised release from a previous federal conviction.
Prosecutors said Leon-Beltran traveled with three others from Tucson to the Valley in April 2022. They were stopped by authorities in Scottsdale during an undercover operation.
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The authorities discovered approximately 90,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl in their possession. Leon-Beltran also had a loaded firearm in his possession.
Co-conspirator Enrique Flores-Diaz was sentenced on Feb. 3, 2023, to 6.5 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Denisse Calderon-Razura was sentenced to 15 months on June 28, 2023, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Laura Elena Hambrick pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 18.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.
