Bi-Coastal Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 135 Months

            WASHINGTON – Albert Anthony Rios, 32, of the District of Columbia and California, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 135 months in federal prison for trafficking large amounts of fentanyl that he had shipped to him from California, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

            Rios, who was responsible for 8.5 kilograms of fentanyl and more than a kilogram of cocaine, pleaded guilty on September 3 before Judge Dabney L. Friedrich to one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and cocaine. In addition to the 135-month prison term, Judge Friedrich ordered Rios to serve five years of supervised release.

            Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.

            According to court documents, on Dec. 13, 2022, two packages were shipped from a FedEx facility located in Monterrey Park, California and addressed to “Martes Benito,” on Congress Street, SE. FedEx deemed the packages as suspicious. The DEA recovered about 700 grams of fentanyl pills and 200 grams of cocaine from one of the packages. On Dec. 17, 2022, the second package was intercepted. Law enforcement obtained a state court warrant for the package, which was found to contain a kilogram of fentanyl pills.

            Through subpoenas to airlines, recovery of surveillance footage, and other evidence, agents identified two persons who regularly flew to Los Angeles and then returned within a few days to the Washington D.C. area. The same individuals routinely shipped packages from FedEx and UPS facilities in Monterrey Park, California to the Washington, D.C. area. Agents recovered several of these packages and all were found to contain fentanyl pills. Agents recovered additional narcotics, firearms, and large amounts cash in search warrants conducted at the residences of these individuals.

            FBI agents continued to investigate to determine the identity of the California supplier. They learned that, in July of 2023, in a separate and independent investigation, DEA agents arranged to purchase a large amount of fentanyl and cocaine from Albert Rios.

            In a search of Rios’ residence, those agents recovered a kilo of cocaine, a kilo of fentanyl, 15,000 fentanyl pills, and about $23,000 in cash.

            FBI agents linked Rios’ phone number to the individuals who had repeatedly mailed narcotics to the D.C. area. On Feb. 7, 2024, agents executed another search warrant at Rios’ California residence. They recovered additional narcotics, including approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills and an ounce of cocaine. Further, in a search of his cell phones, FBI agents found photos of large quantities of fentanyl pills and determined that Rios’ relevant conduct in this case included, at a minimum, 8.425 kilograms of fentanyl and 1.028 kilograms of cocaine.

            This case was investigated by the DEA and the FBI Washington Field Office, with valuable assistance from the Virginia State Police, Montgomery County Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Postal Inspection Service

            It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty.

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