SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, July 31, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A federal grand jury returned an indictment Wednesday charging a foreign national living in Utah with drug crimes after law enforcement seized 20,000 fentanyl pills during an undercover operation, which also led to the seizure of methamphetamine, heroin and additional fentanyl pills.
A statement released by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Utah, says that according to court documents, Bryan Guadalupe Diaz-Lopez, 21, was arrested on July 19 of this year after he attempted to sell 20,000 fentanyl pills to a confidential informant during a controlled purchase in the parking lot of a Taylorsville liquor store.
“During the investigation, agents from Homeland Security Investigations and task force officers from the Utah State Bureau of Investigations conducted surveillance at the liquor store when a silver KIA Optima drove through the parking lot and parked near an undercover vehicle,” the statement says.
“The driver of the KIA Optima was later identified as Diaz-Lopez. Law enforcement seized a black duffle bag with four-gallon plastic baggies that contained approximately 3.83 kilograms of suspected fentanyl pills from Diaz-Lopez’s vehicle. As alleged, agents also seized several thousand additional suspected fentanyl pills from a hotel room associated with Diaz-Lopez.”
In total, between the KIA Optima and the hotel room, law enforcement “seized 23 kilograms of field tested and confirmed fentanyl pills,” the news release says. “Agents also seized over 500 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 34 grams of suspected heroin, and 76 grams of suspected cocaine.”
Diaz-Lopez is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday at the United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations, and the Utah State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Cameron P. Warner of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
