Honduran Nationals Accused of Possessing and Distributing Fentanyl Face Federal Charges

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging two Honduran nationals, living in the United States illegally, with drug crimes.

Jorge Luis Hernandez-Valle, 36, and Luis Alfredo Hernandez, 35, both Honduran nationals, living in the United States illegally in Salt Lake County, Utah, were charged by complaint on April 10, 2025.

According to court documents, since March 2025, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force began investigating an alleged drug trafficking organization. During the investigation, detectives purchased narcotics during a controlled buy. During this time, two alleged drug runners involved with the organization and two vehicles were identified. On April 8, 2025, one of the vehicles, a Toyota 4-Runner, was stopped in Kearns, Utah, and a search warrant was executed. From the vehicle, detectives seized approximately 4,500 individual field-tested positive fentanyl pills. Hernandez and Hernandez-Valle were subsequently taken into custody. According to court documents, Hernandez was previously removed from the United States in July 2009 and September 2018. Hernandez-Valle was previously removed from the United States on three occasions, December 2007, September 2010, and May 2019.

Hernandez-Valle and Hernandez are charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Their initial appearance on the indictment was April 18, 2025 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated jointly by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.