A federal judge in Arizona handed down prison sentences this week to five men who ran a drug‑trafficking operation that moved fentanyl pills and methamphetamine from Phoenix to Valencia County, New Mexico, and then laundered the proceeds to Mexico.
Operation timeline and scope
According to court documents, the conspiracy began no later than July 2022 and continued through June 2023. The group sourced bulk narcotics in Arizona, including fentanyl pills imported from Culiacán, Mexico, and shipped them across the state line for resale in New Mexico.
Key participants and their roles
Irving Alvarez‑Rosales, 48, and Julio Alberto Zamora‑Ramirez, 33, coordinated large‑scale fentanyl trafficking from Phoenix. Law‑enforcement interceptions recovered roughly 100,000 fentanyl pills in November 2022 and another 50,000 pills in May 2023. Both men also ran a money‑laundering scheme that moved drug proceeds through money‑service businesses, using false identification to hide the source of the funds.
Roberto Zavala‑Roman, 32, arranged the sale and mailing of about 500 fentanyl pills to a buyer, handling payment and advising the purchaser on resale.
Efren Torres‑Ruiz, 34, traveled with co‑conspirators to Arizona to acquire methamphetamine and other narcotics for distribution in Valencia County, profiting from those sales.
Rodrigo Rojas, 49, participated in multiple drug‑transport trips between Arizona and New Mexico.
Sentences imposed
Alvarez‑Rosales pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to launder money. He received a 138‑month prison term and will serve five years of supervised release after his release.
Zamora‑Ramirez, also convicted of the same conspiracies, was sentenced to 108 months in prison with four years of supervised release.
Zavala‑Roman received a 34‑month sentence and three years of supervised release.
Torres‑Ruiz was sentenced to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Rojas was sentenced to 70 months in prison and four years of supervised release for conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Law‑enforcement impact
The convictions demonstrate continued federal focus on disrupting cross‑state drug networks that funnel dangerous narcotics from the Southwest into New Mexico and onward to Mexico. By targeting both the trafficking and the money‑laundering components, authorities aim to dismantle the financial incentives that sustain these operations.
Community leaders in both states have expressed relief that the court action removes dangerous substances from the streets and sends a clear message that such criminal enterprises will face serious consequences.
Original reporting: KOAT Albuquerque — read the source article.
