A 25-year-old Mexican national living in Draper, Utah, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for drug and immigration offenses. Kevin Enrique Sanchez-Carrillo received the sentence from Senior U.S. District Court Judge Dale A. Kimball. Following his prison term, Sanchez-Carrillo will be transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings.
The court ordered the forfeiture of $7,750 in cash, a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun, and related ammunition as part of the sentencing.
According to information presented in court, authorities began investigating Sanchez-Carrillo in March 2025 after a confidential informant purchased methamphetamine from him. On April 3, 2025, law enforcement executed search warrants at his apartment and vehicle. Officers recovered over one kilogram of fentanyl, more than half a kilogram of heroin, approximately eleven kilograms of methamphetamine, fifteen grams of cocaine, the firearm, and cash during the searches.
Sanchez-Carrillo admitted he possessed these drugs with intent to distribute them for profit. He also acknowledged that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he was in the United States illegally.
Court documents further revealed that Sanchez-Carrillo entered the United States after December 14, 2023. He avoided examination by immigration officers until his arrest on April 3, 2025. At the time of his apprehension in Salt Lake County, Utah, he had not applied for legal registration as required by law.
“Pumping poison in the form of illegal narcotics into our communities will not be taken lightly,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “Sanchez-Carrillo’s sentence sends a clear message to the defendant and others willing to break federal laws, that if you choose to engage in drug trafficking, illegally possess a firearm in the United States or unlawfully enter the United States you will face serious criminal consequences.”
“Individuals like Sanchez-Carrillo seek to profit while our communities are left to bear the cost of addiction, violence, and death,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI will relentlessly pursue and investigate drug traffickers who threaten public safety.”
“The sentencing of Sanchez-Carrillo sends a clear message to anyone involved in bringing drugs into our community: you will be caught, prosecuted, and held accountable,” said Lester R. Hayes, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Las Vegas. “We’re proud of the hard work and strong teamwork of our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, who are committed to bringing criminals like Sanchez-Carrillo to justice.”
The investigation was conducted by agents from the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). The case was prosecuted by attorneys from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—an initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration as well as dismantling drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations through coordinated efforts among various federal task forces.
