TAMPA, FL – Luis Mojica Rojas, 46, of Zephyrhills, Florida, will spend the next 15 years in federal prison after being sentenced Friday for a sprawling fentanyl trafficking operation that stretched across borders and involved a brazen disregard for public safety. U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber handed down the sentence, along with an order to forfeit $90,000 linked to the illicit proceeds.
The bust, stemming from a May 9, 2022 raid on Rojas’s residence, revealed a disturbing arsenal and a significant quantity of deadly narcotics. Agents discovered an AR-15 assault pistol, complete with a loaded drum magazine, hidden in the master bedroom. DNA evidence confirmed Rojas’s possession of the weapon. Cocaine was also recovered from the bathroom, signaling a multi-drug operation. But the real horror lay in the backyard, where authorities seized over 780 grams of powdered fentanyl and another 102 grams of counterfeit prescription pills laced with the same lethal substance. The total fentanyl haul exceeded two kilograms – enough to kill hundreds, if not thousands.
The investigation didn’t stop at the drugs. Evidence presented in court showed Rojas acting as a money launderer for a co-conspirator. In August 2021, he met with an undercover law enforcement officer to wash $90,000 in drug money, a clear indication of the scale and sophistication of the criminal enterprise. Rojas pleaded guilty on July 19, 2023, after being arrested and held without bail. The investigation was far from a solo effort.
Federal authorities involved in the takedown included the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), leading the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, with crucial support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and local law enforcement from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Tampa Police Department, and Plant City Police Department. OCDETF’s mission is to dismantle major drug trafficking organizations, and this case is a clear demonstration of that commitment.
The sentence sends a strong message to those involved in trafficking fentanyl, a synthetic opioid responsible for a staggering number of overdose deaths nationwide. Authorities say the operation wasn’t just about moving drugs; it was about profiting from addiction and endangering communities. The forfeiture of $90,000 represents a small victory in clawing back ill-gotten gains, but the damage caused by Rojas’s actions will linger.
Assistant United States Attorney Dan Baeza prosecuted the case, meticulously building a case against Rojas and securing the conviction that led to the 15-year sentence. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks and hold those responsible accountable. The investigation remains open, and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of additional charges or arrests related to this conspiracy.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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