Heriberto Lopez-Landeros, a 44-year-old resident of Avondale, Arizona, was sentenced to 14 years in prison by United States District Judge Steven P. Logan. This sentencing followed Lopez-Landeros's guilty plea on August 5, 2024, to charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Lopez-Landeros led an Arizona-based drug trafficking organization that imported substantial quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin from Mexico for distribution across the United States. He recruited semi-truck drivers to transport these drugs throughout the country, often concealing them within the truck cabs. Over a year-and-a-half-long investigation, authorities seized significant quantities linked to Lopez-Landeros: 83 kilograms of methamphetamine, 12 kilograms of fentanyl, and 645 grams of heroin.
The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative. OCDETF employs a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven approach involving federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to target high-level drug traffickers and transnational criminal organizations.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Avondale Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan McCarthy from the District of Arizona in Phoenix managed the prosecution.
For further information on this case or related updates from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Arizona, visit their official website or follow them on X @USAO_AZ.