Daniel Torres-Zubia, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Alaska 2024

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A 41-year-old man from Arizona has been arrested for his alleged role in a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking operation in Alaska.

Daniel Torres-Zubia, 41, of Phoenix, Arizona, was taken into custody on charges of conspiring to send large quantities of methamphetamine for re-distribution in Fairbanks, Alaska.

According to charging documents, the Fairbanks Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) office began investigating Torres in 2019 for allegedly trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine into the Fairbanks area from Las Vegas and Arizona.

The investigation revealed that Torres sold about 60 pounds of methamphetamine to a Fairbanks area drug dealer between 2019 and 2020. Investigators also noted that Torres was able to supply large wholesale amounts of methamphetamine quickly, indicating he may be part of a larger drug trafficking operation.

If convicted, Torres faces a statutory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison for the most serious charges. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fairbanks Police Department, the Alaska State Troopers, the North Pole Police Department, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

This case is part of Alaska’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program, which was established in 2018 to enhance and coordinate efforts among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking and its harmful consequences in critical regions of Alaska.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan D. Tansey.

The charges in the indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations. Torres is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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