A Mexican citizen residing in Arvada, Colorado, has been sentenced for distributing cocaine. Francisco Javier Miranda-Rodriguez, 39, from Jalisco, Mexico, received a sentence of 16 months in prison and three years of supervised release. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl handed down the sentence on February 3. After serving his sentence, Miranda-Rodriguez will be deported.
Court documents state that in March 2025, agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned that Miranda-Rodriguez was seeking customers for cocaine sales. Undercover agents arranged controlled purchases in Cheyenne on March 13 and April 3 for two ounces and approximately three ounces of cocaine respectively. A third transaction involving nine ounces took place in Timnath, Colorado on May 6. During this meeting, agents discussed buying a kilogram of cocaine at $1,000 per ounce with the defendant. Communication between the undercover agent and Miranda-Rodriguez stopped when they tried to arrange delivery of the kilogram.
Miranda-Rodriguez was arrested following a traffic stop on June 18, 2025. On the same day, law enforcement searched his apartment and found 92 grams of cocaine. He admitted to making monthly trips to Douglas and Casper to deliver drugs over a five-month period.
“This sentence sends a clear message: drug trafficking will not be tolerated in our communities. This defendant came to the United States, distributed dangerous drugs across state lines, and fueled addiction and crime. Thanks to strong law enforcement work, he will serve time in federal prison and be removed from the country. We will continue to prioritize border security, aggressive drug enforcement, and the removal of criminal aliens who threaten public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith.
The DEA led the investigation into this case while Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Morrison prosecuted it.
Case No. CR-25-00128
