Trina A. Higgins, U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah
Rafael Antonio Torres, a 21-year-old resident of West Jordan, Utah, has been sentenced to ten years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for his involvement in a fatal shooting linked to drug trafficking. The sentencing was delivered by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Kimball and reflects the mandatory minimum sentence prescribed by law. Torres faced charges following an indictment in March 2024.
Court records reveal that Torres confessed to using a firearm during a drug trafficking operation. On January 31, 2023, he met with a relative and a prospective buyer for THC vape cartridges at a Taylorsville apartment complex parking lot. Shortly before midnight, police responded to reports of gunfire and found two men dead inside a vehicle that had collided with a snowbank. Witnesses reported seeing Torres fleeing from the scene.
Torres admitted to being in the rear seat armed with a handgun and firing at least one shot at the front passenger. Police recovered THC cartridges and two firearms from the crashed vehicle; forensic analysis determined that the deceased men had killed each other. A third gun belonging to Torres was discovered months later by a citizen who alerted authorities.
"This case is a tragic reminder of the deadly consequences of mixing drug trafficking with firearms," stated U.S. Attorney Trina A. Higgins of the District of Utah. "The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute gun crimes, particularly when they result in loss of life."
Detective Kevin Barrett of the Taylorsville City Police Department expressed appreciation for the prosecution's efforts: "As law enforcement partners, we will continue fighting neighborhood drug crimes, especially when they involve violence."
The investigation was conducted by the Taylorsville Police Department and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). This program unites law enforcement agencies and communities to reduce gun violence and enhance public safety.
