SALT LAKE CITY - A federal grand jury indicted a 25-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico on drug and immigration charges after law enforcement allegedly found 171 grams of fentanyl powder in his vehicle during a traffic stop, U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah announced.
Martin Erubiel Algandar Castro was charged by complaint on June 30 after the traffic stop, which took place five days earlier. According to court documents, officers stopped a Jeep Cherokee driven by Castro for a traffic violation. A K-9 officer alerted to the presence of drugs, and a search of the vehicle turned up approximately 171 grams of suspected fentanyl powder that field-tested positive for fentanyl. Officers also seized $1,513 in cash from Castro and several wire transfer receipts showing money sent to Mexico.
A search of Castro’s phone revealed evidence of distribution, prosecutors said. Castro is not a U.S. citizen, and the government said it is unaware of any ties he has to Utah or the United States.
Castro is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force. Special Assistant United States Attorney Pete Reichman is prosecuting.
The Department of Justice designated the case as 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”
“An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Castro’s initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for July 9 at 10:45 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.