MIDVALE — Three people are facing drug distribution charges after police reported finding about 92,000 fentanyl pills in their possession.
Kelvin Missael Nieblas Flores, 25, Luis Felipe Ramirez Cuadras, 23, and Alexa Dayelim Ramirez Cuadras, 18, were each charged Monday in 3rd District Court with trafficking fentanyl, a first-degree felony.
On June 17, the State Bureau of Investigation tracked Flores and Luis Ramirez as they traveled "throughout Taylorsville, West Valley and South Salt Lake and made various stops. During one of the stops, a confidential informant purchased fentanyl pills from Luis Felipe and Flores," according to charging documents.
Agents then followed the vehicle to a hotel near 7250 S. 300 West. A short time later, all three defendants exited the hotel and got back into the car. Officers pulled the car over for an equipment violation. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, "approximately 3,500 field-tested positive fentanyl pills were found in a hidden compartment in the glove box," charging documents state.
When agents went back to their hotel room to serve a search warrant, "approximately 88,000 field-tested positive fentanyl pills were found," according to the charges. The three allegedly traveled to Utah from out of state and were found to be in possession of approximately 92,000 fentanyl pills.
