Illegal Alien from Nicaragua Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Approximately 23 Pounds of Fentanyl in the District of Utah

ST. GEORGE, Utah - An illegal alien from Nicaragua was sentenced to 41 months' imprisonment today after law enforcement recovered approximately 104,000 fentanyl pills that weighed approximately 23 pounds, during a traffic violation in August 2025.

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, comes after Hector Luis Castillo-Reyes, 34, residing illegally in Fresno, California, pleaded guilty on July 20, 2026, to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Castillo-Reyes was sentenced to three years of supervised release. Additionally, upon his release, Castillo-Reyes will be remanded to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings.

According to court documents and statements made at Castillo-Reyes's change of plea and sentencing hearings, on August 14, 2025, a San Juan County Deputy Sheriff stopped Castillo-Reyes for a traffic violation. A dog sniff was conducted and the K9 alerted positive to the presence of illegal narcotics. During a search of the vehicle, law enforcement recovered approximately 104,000 blue M30 fentanyl pills inside of a toolbox set in the rear cargo area of the vehicle. Castillo-Reyes admitted to picking up the bag containing the fentanyl pills and transporting them in exchange for payment.

"This case highlights the excellent coordination of our state, federal, and tribal partners in removing this poison from our streets," said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. "We are grateful to DEA, SBI, BIA, ICE, and the San Juan County Sheriff's Office for working together with our office to ensure that the 104,000 seized fentanyl pills never reached our communities."

The case was investigated jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Utah Department of Public Safety State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), and the San Juan County Sheriff's Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Hood of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.