Illegal Immigrant Allegedly Found With Enough Fentanyl to Kill Millions
Authorities seized over 700 pounds of fentanyl and methamphetamine during a traffic stop in Nevada.
Federal prosecutors have charged Francisco Joel Garcia Farias, 26, with drug-trafficking offenses after he was allegedly found with a large quantity of fentanyl and methamphetamine during a traffic stop in Nevada.
A Lincoln County sheriff’s deputy initiated a traffic stop for speeding on US Highway 93 near Ash Springs on Oct. 13. A narcotics detection dog alerted to the vehicle, leading deputies to discover 13 storage totes containing approximately 30 pounds of suspected fentanyl and 677 pounds of suspected methamphetamine.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada stated that the 14 kilograms of fentanyl alone could represent approximately seven million potentially lethal doses, enough to kill more than twice the population of Nevada. The combined seizure of fentanyl and methamphetamine has an estimated street value of $2 million.
"The massive scale of this seizure underscores the staggering volume of illicit narcotics flowing into our communities from transnational criminal organizations," Chattah said. "These staggering quantities reflect a blatant disregard for human life, driven purely by profit."
The Justice Department identified Garcia Farias as an illegal immigrant. He faces federal charges of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine.
If convicted, Garcia Farias faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment for each count, followed by five years of supervised release.
The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Task Force partners. John A. Condon, executive associate director of HSI, emphasized the significant threat posed by the seized substances and the ongoing commitment to holding accountable those who profit from illegal drugs.
Lincoln County Sheriff Derek Foremaster credited the deputies' traffic enforcement and the K-9 unit for the discovery, noting the serious threat illicit narcotics pose to rural communities and the traveling public.
