SANDY — Three men from Honduras were arrested and charged in federal court with possessing more than 52,000 fentanyl pills.
Jairo Roney Cabrera-Escoto, 40, of North Carolina, Cristian Eriberto Romero-Soto, 24, and Daniel Jose Felix-Aleman, 24, both of Sandy, were indicted by a federal grand jury.
The three men were charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in April, but the charging documents were sealed until June 4. The three men are from Honduras but were living in the United States illegally, the U.S. Attorney's Office for Utah said.
Felix-Aleman and Romero-Soto also face charges of possession of controlled substances, and Romero-Soto has an additional charge of reentry of a previously removed illegal immigrant.
The Utah County Major Crimes Task Force had been investigating a group of people in Salt Lake County for drug distribution since November 2024. Undercover agents had purchased fentanyl during "several controlled purchases" from the group, the U.S. Attorney's Office for Utah said.
On April 8, detectives located more 32,000 fentanyl pills, drug-packing materials and more than $42,000 in cash at a Sandy residence, court documents state. During additional warrants, agents reported seizing another 20,000 pills, drug packing materials and $5,000 in cash at a separate Sandy residence. Felix-Aleman and Romero-Soto were arrested after these discoveries.
Cabrera-Escoto was arrested on June 6 in North Carolina, said the U.S. Attorney's Office for Utah. Court documents and federal prosecutors did not specify how Cabrera-Escoto was connected to the other two men.
