⏱ 2 min read
Brian Uriel Lopez-Orozco, a 27-year-old Phoenix man, was a major supplier of methamphetamine and fentanyl to the Billings area in Montana. For two years, he ran a drug trafficking ring, shipping significant amounts of narcotics to the region. Lopez-Orozco’s operation was uncovered in November 2022, when local police pulled over two of his associates, Aaron Meeks and Shaynee Gibbs, and found 360 grams of fentanyl and over $12,000 cash in their car.
Further investigation revealed that Meeks and Gibbs were awaiting a package of meth and fentanyl from Arizona, which had already been intercepted by law enforcement. The package contained nearly 4 pounds of meth and 17 capsules of fentanyl. Meeks told investigators that he regularly picked up packages of meth and fentanyl shipped from Arizona for his associate, Cynthia Pruett, a known drug dealer in Billings.
Lopez-Orozco’s operation was eventually dismantled, and he pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. On the day of his sentencing, Lopez-Orozco was handed a 14-year prison sentence, followed by five years of supervised release.
Lopez-Orozco’s associates, including Meeks, Gibbs, and Pruett, also pleaded guilty to various drug charges. The investigation and subsequent convictions highlight the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat drug trafficking in Montana and the surrounding regions.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: fentanyl
- Location: MT
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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