Ricardo Julyan Kross Rios, Fentanyl Trafficking, Texas 2023

In a tragic case, 22-year-old Ricardo Julyan Kross Rios, also known as Kross, has been sentenced to federal prison for delivery of fentanyl resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Rios pleaded guilty to the charges on July 26, 2023, and was subsequently ordered to serve 180 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge David S. Morales, who noted that the circumstances of the case were tragic and that the loss of a life deserves a significant sentence.

The case began on December 10, 2022, with a reported drug overdose in Corpus Christi. A non-responsive individual was found dead at the scene, and an autopsy later determined the cause of death was acute fentanyl toxicity.

Investigation led to the discovery that the victim had purchased pills from Rios, who delivered them to the parking lot adjacent to an apartment where a party was occurring on December 9, 2022. The victim consumed the pills during that event, and witnesses described them as ‘press made’ hydrocodone pills that may have contained fentanyl.

On January 17, 2023, law enforcement encountered Rios at a residence in Corpus Christi in possession of a plastic bag containing ‘pressed’ pills as well as some additional loose powder and partial pills. Laboratory analysis later confirmed the pills and powder in the plastic bag did contain fentanyl.

The Drug Enforcement Administration led the cooperative law enforcement effort targeting fentanyl, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office, and police departments in Corpus Christi, Aransas Pass, and Mathis. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert D. Thorpe Jr. prosecuted the case.

Rios will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

“Falling asleep on a living room sofa should not become a death sentence, especially for a 20-year old beginning his journey into adulthood,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. “Fentanyl-laced pills disguised as something else are killing our kids, and it’s the mission of my office to hold everyone accountable – from the companies that supply the raw materials to the cartels that make the pills to the dealers that place them in the hands of America’s youth. Those like Rios should take note, if your pill kills, we will not rest until justice is done.”

In handing down the sentence, Judge Morales noted that the circumstances of the case were tragic and that the loss of a life deserves a significant sentence. The sentence will see Rios serve 15 years in federal prison, with four years of supervised release to follow.

Defendant: Ricardo Julyan Kross Rios

Criminal Charges: Delivery of fentanyl resulting in death

City and State: Corpus Christi, Texas

Exact Date: July 26, 2023 (sentencing), December 10, 2022 (crime date)

Sentence or Outcome: 180 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release

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