Honduran nationals indicted after 52,000 fentanyl pills and cash were seized

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Three Honduran nationals were indicted for allegedly distributing illegal drugs throughout Salt Lake County. Police seized 52,000 fentanyl pills and over $47,000 in cash.

Jairo Roney Cabrera-Escoto, 40, of North Carolina and Cristian Eriberto Romero-Soto, 24, and Daniel Jose Felix-Aleman, 24, both of Sandy, Utah were indicted on April 16 in federal court.

According to a press release from the Utah District U.S. Attorney’s Office, they were indicted in April, but the documents were just unsealed Thursday.

Reportedly, the three men were living in the U.S. illegally.

The three men are being charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and conspiracy to distribute heroin, among other charges. Romero-Soto is charged with reentry of a previously removed alien in addition to the drug-related charges.

The investigation began in November 2024, when detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force began investigating a group for distributing illegal drugs in Salt Lake County. Officials say that undercover agents purchased fentanyl during “several controlled purchases.”

In April, agents executed a search warrant on vehicles and a residence in Sandy, and approximately 32,000 fentanyl pills, drug packing materials, and $42,000 in cash were seized. That is when Felix-Aleman was arrested.

The same day, several other search warrants were executed in Sandy, and approximately 20,000 fentanyl pills, several cell phones, drug packing materials, and over $5,000 in cash was seized. Romero-Soto was arrested following the search.

Cabrera-Escoto was arrested on June 6 in the Middle District of North Carolina.

Romero-Soto and Felix-Aleman had their initial court appearances on April 18, and Cabrera-Escoto will have his initial appearance at “a later date,” according to officials.

The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Utah County Major Crimes Task Force, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The case is also part of Operation Take Back America, “a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”