Utah Feds Nab 35-Year-Old Drug Kingpin Wilber Castellanos Hernandez

GRIMY TIMES EXCLUSIVE

Utah’s federal court has charged Wilber Castellanos Hernandez, 35, of Taylorsville, with conspiracy to distribute counterfeit pills, in a massive pill trafficking operation.

According to court documents, Hernandez allegedly orchestrated the distribution of thousands of counterfeit pills, including fentanyl, oxycodone, and hydrocodone, across the United States.

Hernandez was arrested on February 22, 2024, following a joint investigation by the DEA, the FBI, and the Salt Lake City Police Department. The operation, dubbed ‘Operation Phantom Pain,’ involved the seizure of over 10,000 counterfeit pills, worth an estimated $250,000.

“This investigation demonstrates our commitment to holding accountable those who bring harm to our communities through the distribution of deadly counterfeit pills,” said Special Agent in Charge, DEA Utah Field Division.

Hernandez is being held without bail pending trial. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1 million. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda and is set to go to trial on April 15, 2024.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah has charged Hernandez with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute counterfeit pills, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846. The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be filed.

Hernandez’s public defender, Clark S. Thompson, declined to comment on the case.