Young Trafficker Imprisoned for Transporting Thousands of Fentanyl Pills

McALLEN, Texas - A 21-year-old Pharr resident has been sentenced following his conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Alex Dominque Carrillo pleaded guilty Dec. 20, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Carrillo to serve 96 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard that in addition to the fentanyl, law enforcement determined Carrillo was also linked to the seizure of multiple kilograms of meth.

"Just one pill can kill," said Hamdani. "Mexican drug traffickers have no regard for the countless lives lost at the hands of fentanyl. Today's sentence puts another fentanyl trafficker behind bars and thousands of lethal fentanyl pills off the streets."

In May 2023, authorities began an investigation which determined Carrillo was a drug courier working on behalf of a Mexican drug trafficker. Carrillo was tasked to pick up the drugs once they were successfully imported by the Mexican smugglers and deliver the drugs to various buyers in the United States.

The following month, law enforcement seized 500 fentanyl pills in Pharr that Carrillo had transported.

In August 2023, law enforcement observed as Carrillo was attempting to transport drugs to a McAllen buyer. Noticing the law enforcement presence, Carrillo attempted to conceal the 3,500 fentanyl pills in a public parking lot trash can. Authorities successfully retrieved the pills and placed Carrillo under arrest.

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

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.

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