Osvaldo Lugo-Escalante, Fentanyl Trafficking, Colorado 2019

Fentanyl Trafficking Ring Dismantled in Denver Metro Area

Denver, CO - Osvaldo Lugo-Escalante, a 25-year-old Mexican national living in Centennial, Colorado, has been sentenced to 72 months (6 years) in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute nearly 1,400 grams of fentanyl.

"Fentanyl is a dangerous drug and can be fatal even in tiny amounts," said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. "Denver Police and HSI were able to remove a substantial amount of fentanyl and other drugs from the streets of Metro Denver, likely saving countless lives."

Lugo-Escalante's sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico on December 2, 2019, following a plea agreement in which he admitted to his involvement in drug distribution activities in the Denver metro area.

According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, investigators with the Denver Police Department (DPD) Vice/Narcotics division and special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) determined Lugo-Escalante was actively involved in drug distribution activities in the Denver metro area. On June 26, 2019, a confidential informant contacted the defendant to purchase narcotics. After the call, the defendant left his apartment located in Centennial, Colorado, and got into his car. DPD uniform officers then initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle as it pulled away from the apartment.

During the subsequent search of the vehicle, officers found a Metro PCS box in the driver's side door compartment, which contained a clear plastic bag containing 2,048 pills of fentanyl (222.655 grams), a clear plastic bag containing 27.709 grams of cocaine, and a clear plastic bag containing 62.405 grams of heroin.

Later that day, officers and agents searched Lugo-Escalante's apartment. Inside, they discovered additional controlled substances, including several clear plastic bags containing 3,418 pills of fentanyl (391.947 grams), several clear plastic bags containing 6,806 pills of fentanyl (745.091 grams), 501.6 grams of heroin packaged in clear plastic wrap, 250.798 grams of heroin packaged in clear plastic wrap, 506.966 grams of heroin packaged in clear plastic wrap, and several clear plastic bags containing 753.620 grams of cocaine.

In total, investigators seized 12,272 pills of fentanyl (1,359.693 grams), 1,321.769 grams of heroin, and 781.329 grams of cocaine from the defendant's vehicle and apartment.

The defendant was also ordered to forfeit over $40,000 in cash.

This case was investigated by the Denver Police Department and the HSI Denver. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Conor A. Flanigan.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/mexican-national-living-centennial-sentenced-federal-prison-possession-intent-distribute