TUCSON, Ariz. – In a shocking tale of deception, Angel Daniel Miranda-Contreras, a 29-year-old man from Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced to 41 months in prison by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez.
Miranda-Contreras pleaded guilty on April 10, 2023, to Importation of Fentanyl, Importation of Heroin, Importation of Methamphetamine, and Importation of Cocaine. The case began on August 5, 2022, when Miranda-Contreras crossed the border from Mexico into the United States in a 2015 Volkswagon Crossfox at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona.
Hidden compartments inside the vehicle concealed 47 kilograms of fentanyl, five kilograms of methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine, and 870 grams of heroin. Miranda-Contreras initially claimed that he was unaware of the illegal narcotics, stating that he had only agreed to smuggle money from the United States to Mexico.
However, Homeland Security Investigations revealed the truth behind Miranda-Contreras’ deception. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution, bringing Miranda-Contreras to justice.
The investigation led to a significant blow to the opioid crisis in the United States. Fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine are among the deadliest substances smuggled into the country.
As the nation grapples with the opioid epidemic, harsh sentences like Miranda-Contreras’ serve as a reminder of the consequences of engaging in such heinous crimes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, vows to continue fighting against drug trafficking and other violent crimes.
For more information, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ or follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ.
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Key Facts
- State: Arizona
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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