Kevin Enrique Sanchez-Carrillo, a 25-year-old Mexican national residing in Draper, Utah, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for drug trafficking and immigration offenses. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Dale A. Kimball handed down the sentence in Salt Lake City.
Following his prison term, Sanchez-Carrillo will be transferred to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings. The court also ordered the forfeiture of $7,750 in cash, a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun, and related ammunition.
The investigation began in March 2025 after a confidential informant purchased methamphetamine from Sanchez-Carrillo. On April 3, 2025, law enforcement executed search warrants at his apartment and vehicle. Officers recovered significant quantities of drugs: 1,249 grams of fentanyl, 571 grams of heroin, over 11 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 15 grams of cocaine. They also found a firearm and cash.
Sanchez-Carrillo admitted he intended to distribute the narcotics for profit and knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to his immigration status. He also acknowledged entering the United States illegally on or after December 14, 2023, evading inspection by immigration authorities until his arrest on April 3, 2025. Court documents show he had not applied for registration as required by law during his time in the country.
“Pumping poison in the form of illegal narcotics into our communities will not be taken lightly," said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. "Sanchez-Carrillo’s sentence sends a clear message to the defendant and others willing to break federal laws, that if you choose to engage in drug trafficking, illegally possess a firearm in the United States or unlawfully enter the United States you will face serious criminal consequences.”
“Individuals like Sanchez-Carrillo seek to profit while our communities are left to bear the cost of addiction, violence, and death,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI will relentlessly pursue and investigate drug traffickers who threaten public safety.”
“The sentencing of Sanchez-Carrillo sends a clear message to anyone involved in bringing drugs into our community: you will be caught, prosecuted, and held accountable,” said Lester R. Hayes Jr., Special Agent in Charge for Las Vegas.
The case was investigated by agents from both the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah led prosecution efforts.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America—a Department of Justice initiative focused on combating illegal immigration as well as dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations through coordinated use of resources such as Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
