A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City has indicted a Mexican national on drug trafficking charges following the seizure of fentanyl and heroin from his vehicle. Miguel Mario Soto De Santiago, 23, residing in Bluffdale, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on February 20, 2025.
Court documents reveal that the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF) initiated a criminal investigation into Soto De Santiago and other members of a drug trafficking organization suspected of distributing narcotics throughout Utah and across the United States. On February 19, agents stopped a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee registered to Soto De Santiago in Juab County. A K-9 officer detected narcotics in the vehicle, leading to the confiscation of approximately 5,027 grams of fentanyl and about 1,103 grams of heroin.
Soto De Santiago faces charges for possession with intent to distribute both fentanyl and heroin. His initial court appearance is set for March 6 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City.
The announcement came from Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah. The investigation is being conducted by WMDTF along with the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and the Davis Metro Narcotic Strike Force (DMNSF). The case will be prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations through a coordinated multi-agency approach. More details about OCDETF can be found on their website.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
