Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 40 Months

TUCSON, Ariz. – On September 27, 2022, Carlos Obed Moreno, 32, a United States citizen residing in Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to 40 months in prison for attempting to smuggle pills into the United States in exchange for payment. Moreno previously pleaded guilty to Importation of Fentanyl into the United States. 

On January 6, 2022, Moreno presented himself for entry into the United States from Mexico at the De Concini Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona. While at the Port, a Customs and Border Protection Officer noticed a knife in Moreno’s waistband and conducted a pat-down for officer safety. During the pat-down, the officer noticed packages stuffed in Moreno’s boots. Further inspection of the boots revealed the packages contained approximately 628.1 grams of blue fentanyl pills.

Homeland Security Investigations, Nogales, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefani Hepford, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-22-00259-TUC-RCC-LAB
RELEASE NUMBER:    2022-165_Moreno

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