Five Defendants Sentenced for Roles in Arizona-to-New Mexico Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy

ALBUQUERQUE - Five defendants have been sentenced in federal court for their roles in a drug trafficking organization that transported fentanyl and methamphetamine from Arizona to New Mexico and laundered drug proceeds to Mexico.

According to court documents, beginning no later than July 2022 and continuing through June 2023, a drug trafficking organization operating between Phoenix, Arizona, and Valencia County, New Mexico, conspired to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine in New Mexico. The organization obtained bulk quantities of narcotics from sources in Arizona, including fentanyl pills imported from Culiacán, Mexico, and transported them to New Mexico for redistribution.

Irving Alvarez-Rosales, 48, and Julio Alberto Zamora-Ramirez, 33, coordinated large-scale fentanyl trafficking operations from Phoenix, receiving shipments of hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills and selling them to customers from New Mexico. Law enforcement later intercepted multiple loads linked to the conspiracy, including approximately 100,000 fentanyl pills in November 2022 and approximately 50,000 fentanyl pills in May 2023. Both men also participated in a money laundering scheme that transferred drug proceeds from Arizona to recipients in Mexico through money service businesses, using false identification information to conceal the source and ownership of the funds.

Roberto Zavala-Roman, 32, facilitated the distribution of fentanyl by arranging the sale and mailing of approximately 500 fentanyl pills to a buyer in May 2023. He coordinated the transaction with co-conspirators, facilitated payment for the drugs, and advised the recipient regarding redistribution of the pills.

Efren Torres-Ruiz, 34, participated in the conspiracy by traveling with co-conspirators to Arizona to obtain methamphetamine and other narcotics for resale in New Mexico. He admitted participating in trips to acquire drugs that were later distributed in Valencia County and profiting from those sales.

Rodrigo Rojas, 49, participated in multiple drug trafficking trips between Arizona and New Mexico. On November 17, 2022, he was traveling in a semi-truck stopped in Bernalillo County that contained approximately 12.6 kilograms of fentanyl pills and 10 kilograms of methamphetamine. On May 28, 2023, he was driving a truck towing a vehicle that concealed approximately 6 kilograms of fentanyl pills and 18 kilograms of methamphetamine.

Alvarez-Rosales pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to launder money and was sentenced to 138 months in prison. Upon his release from prison, Alvarez-Rosales will be subject to five years of supervised release.

Zamora-Ramirez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to launder money and was sentenced to 108 months in prison. Upon his release from prison, Zamora-Ramirez will be subject to four years of supervised release.

Zavala-Roman pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to 34 months in prison. Upon his release from prison, Zavala-Roman will be subject to three years of supervised release.

Torres-Ruiz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 46 months in prison. Upon his release from prison, Torres-Ruiz will be subject to three years of supervised release.

Rojas pleaded guilty to conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 70 months in prison. Upon his release, Rojas will be subject to four years of supervised release.

There is no parole in the federal system.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Robert "Eric" Castañeda of the DEA El Paso Division made the announcement today.

The DEA El Paso Division investigated this case with assistance from the DEA Phoenix Division, DEA Yuma Division, DEA King City Division, IRS Criminal Investigations, Pueblo of Pojoaque Tribal Police Department and New Mexico State Police. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico prosecuted the cases.