A federal grand jury has indicted three foreign nationals residing in Utah on charges related to drug offenses following the alleged seizure of approximately 13,000 fentanyl pills. The operation took place in West Valley City, Utah, during an undercover operation and subsequent search.
The men charged are Diego Armando Campos-Fallas, 19, from Costa Rica; Hugo Eduardo Miraba-Franco, 20, from Ecuador; and Jose Enrique Zuniga-Diaz, 19, from Honduras. The charges were filed formally on March 21, 2025.
According to legal documents, on March 19, 2025, undercover agents coordinated a meeting to purchase 5,000 fentanyl pills from Campos-Fallas. During this controlled buy, Campos-Fallas entered the undercover agent’s vehicle with the pills and was detained, along with Miraba-Franco, who was waiting in the car used by Campos-Fallas.
Authorities executed a search warrant at the residence where the individuals resided, seizing an additional 8,000 fentanyl pills, 102.2 grams of marijuana, and 1,125.3 grams of THC cartridges. Another search of Campos-Fallas's vehicle revealed about 1,000 more fentanyl pills. The confiscated substances, totaling approximately 13,000 fentanyl pills, tested positive for fentanyl.
The charges against Campos-Fallas, Miraba-Franco, and Zuniga-Diaz include possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Campos-Fallas and Miraba-Franco face additional charges for distributing fentanyl. Their first court appearance is set for April 3, 2025, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City.
Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah announced the charges. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Mark K. Vincent is leading the prosecution.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, which involves the Department of Justice's resources to combat illegal immigration, dismantle drug cartels, and protect communities from violent crime. This operation is a conjunction of efforts from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
It is important to note that an indictment is only an allegation and that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.