Lorenzo Antonio Santillan-Solis, 28, from Phoenix, Arizona, has been sentenced to 100 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges related to the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine. The sentence was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming.
The investigation began in November 2022 when law enforcement discovered narcotics originating from Phoenix being sold from a residence in Powell, Wyoming. The residence was eventually linked to Santillan-Solis’s co-conspirator, who was identified as part of the distribution network.
On March 15, 2023, law enforcement intercepted a package being shipped to the Powell residence. The package contained approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills weighing over one kilogram, along with more than a pound of methamphetamine. A search warrant conducted at the residence confirmed the contents of the package.
That same day, the co-conspirator contacted the local post office to inquire about the package, signaling their involvement in the drug trafficking operation. Investigators were able to link Santillan-Solis to the conspiracy by examining communications and fingerprints found on the parcel.
Santillan-Solis was indicted on May 16, 2024, and arrested in Phoenix four days later. His conviction marks a significant step in ongoing efforts to dismantle narcotics trafficking operations tied to fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution.
In an unrelated case, Alexander J. Short, 26, from Phoenix, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after being convicted of conspiring to distribute and possess fentanyl with intent to distribute. From 2020 to 2023, Short was involved in supplying fentanyl pills to a distribution network operating in northern Indiana. His conviction is part of a broader federal initiative aimed at disrupting fentanyl trafficking networks.
These cases underscore the growing national efforts to combat the fentanyl epidemic and dismantle the networks responsible for trafficking these deadly substances.