LAS VEGAS, NV – A 23-year-old Las Vegas resident, Anthony Rivas, is heading to federal prison after being sentenced to 6 ½ years for a dangerous double play: pushing fentanyl-laced pills and dealing in illegal machine gun conversion devices. U.S. District Judge Cristina D. Silva handed down the sentence yesterday, followed by four years of supervised release. The case lays bare the escalating threat of lethal drugs combined with readily available weaponry on the streets of Nevada.
According to court documents, Rivas’s criminal activity peaked in late 2021 and early 2022. On December 16, 2021, he sold four machine gun conversion devices, turning ordinary firearms into fully automatic weapons. That same day, he peddled approximately 100 pills containing the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl. The following January and February, the operation continued – Rivas sold a multi-caliber rifle illegally modified with another machine gun conversion device, alongside a staggering 3,000 fentanyl-laced pills.
Federal prosecutors emphasized the extreme potency of fentanyl, classifying it as a Schedule II controlled substance. Just a few milligrams – roughly the amount found in a few grains of table salt – can be a fatal dose. The proliferation of such a dangerous drug, coupled with the availability of modified firearms, poses a significant public safety risk, authorities say. This isn’t just about drug dealing; it’s about enabling violence and escalating the potential for overdose deaths.
Rivas pleaded guilty in February 2023 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and illegal possession of a machine gun. The investigation, a coordinated effort between the DEA, ATF, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF targets high-level criminal organizations, utilizing a multi-agency, intelligence-driven approach to dismantle them.
U.S. Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada, alongside Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams of the DEA’s Las Vegas District Office, and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani of the ATF, announced the sentencing. Assistant United States Attorney Melanee Smith led the prosecution. The ATF encourages anyone with information regarding illegal firearms activity to submit tips via their hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or through the ReportIt mobile app.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against both the opioid crisis and the illegal firearms trade. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the efforts of federal agencies to disrupt these dangerous criminal networks and hold those responsible accountable.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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