Three Sentenced For Distribution of Fentanyl That Led to the Death of a Juvenile Female

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Destiny Salazar, 36, and Gabriel Orozco, 36, both of Weld County, Colorado, were sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. Salazar was sentenced to 144 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Orozco was sentenced to 168 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.   

The facts contained within the plea agreements establish that, from approximately July 2021, up through and including December of that same year, Destiny Salazar and Gabriel Orozco engaged in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl using Facebook, cell phones and various email accounts.  Kaleb Hale was one of their customers, with whom they engaged in a series of transactions, one of which occurred on July 24, 2021.  After Hale completed two purchases from Orozco and Salazar on that date, he and his 16-year-old girlfriend traveled to a residence in Greeley, Colorado.  Hale and his girlfriend crushed one of the pills and both snorted a portion.  Hale awoke the next day with severe abdominal distress; his girlfriend died during the night. Her death was the result of fentanyl intoxication.   

In a prior proceeding on September 19, 2025, Kaleb Hale, 23, also of Weld County, Colorado, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, to be followed six years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl to a person under 25 years of age.

“Fentanyl has taken the life of another young Coloradan who had her whole life ahead of her,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “This case should be a warning to drug users and dealers alike. Using even the smallest amount of fentanyl can have deadly consequences. Dealing this dangerous drug can put you in federal prison for a very long time.”

“The staggering quantity of fentanyl we have seen flooding our borders has an impact that goes beyond the initial users, the dealers and the suppliers: This epidemic hurts families and communities,” said Marvin Massey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Denver. “The FBI will root out the supply and bring to justice those who traffic illegal drugs.”

Salazar and Orozco were sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John L. Kane. 
Hale was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Philip A. Brimmer.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Weld County Drug Task Force, the Greeley Police Department, the Weld County District Attorney’s Office, and the Brighton Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bradley Giles.

CASE NUMBERS:         24-cr-310-JLK; 24-cr-164-PAB