A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City has indicted several Honduran nationals on charges related to the distribution of fentanyl and other drug and immigration offenses in Utah. The indictment follows an investigation by the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) into a drug trafficking organization that began in December 2024.
The individuals charged include Jerez Navarro-Zuniga, also known as "Jeren Navarro," aged 27, Helen Coello-Turcios, aged 20, Jose Amilcar Zuniga-Acosta, aged 25, and Naaman Navarro-Hernandez, aged 35. All were residing in Utah at the time of their arrests.
According to court documents, SBI agents arranged a controlled drug purchase where Navarro-Zuniga allegedly provided fentanyl to a middleman for delivery. Subsequent law enforcement actions resulted in the seizure of fentanyl pills from various suspects' vehicles and residences. In one instance, approximately 4,500 fentanyl pills were seized from a vehicle following a traffic stop. Another operation led to the confiscation of around 11,000 pills from Navarro-Hernandez's residence.
Court documents also reveal that Zuniga-Acosta and Navarro-Hernandez are undocumented immigrants who had previously been deported but reentered the United States illegally.
The defendants face charges including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Zuniga-Acosta and Navarro-Hernandez are additionally charged with illegal reentry after deportation. Their initial court appearances are scheduled for March 10, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti announced the indictments. The case is being investigated by the SBI Narcotics Squad and the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force with assistance from the Utah Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman is prosecuting.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime through community collaboration and strategic enforcement priorities.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.