Luis Angel Rios, a business owner from DeForest, Wisconsin, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for his role in cocaine trafficking, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, Timothy M. O’Shea, announced. Rios, 50, pleaded guilty on January 10, 2025, to charges of attempting to distribute a large quantity of cocaine and maintaining a place for its storage and distribution.
The investigation, led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, began in late 2022 and early 2023, focusing on a cocaine trafficking network in Dane County. Through intercepted communications, investigators found that Rios was involved in obtaining and selling multiple kilograms of cocaine. He also worked with another local trafficker to maintain a steady drug supply. On June 1, 2023, a half-kilogram delivery of cocaine was intercepted, intended for one of Rios's customers.
Rios, who owned a cleaning and maintenance business, was acknowledged by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson during sentencing for being a hard-working family man with no prior criminal history. However, Judge Peterson highlighted Rios's efforts in managing the trafficking operations, noting that he brought over 15 kilograms of cocaine into the community quickly, exploiting those with addictions and contributing to crimes associated with drug use.
Co-defendant Braulio Martinez Salazar, also involved in the trafficking operation, received a three-year sentence from Judge Peterson on March 11, 2025.
The charges against Rios resulted from a collaborative investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and Madison Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Anderson and William M. Levins.
The operation was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency initiative that coordinates long-term narcotics investigations.