ST. GEORGE, Utah (KUTV) — A Nicaraguan was sentenced to nearly three and a half years in prison for trafficking approximately 104,000 fentanyl pills through Utah.
Hector Luis Castillo-Reyes, 23, who was residing illegally in Fresno, California, pleaded guilty in July to possessing and intending to distribute fentanyl. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Utah, said that when Castillo-Reyes is released, he will be remanded to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made at Castillo-Reyes’ hearings, a deputy with the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office stopped Castillo-Reyes on August 14, 2025, for a traffic violation. A K-9 officer sniffed the vehicle and indicated there was a presence of illegal narcotics.
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Law enforcement searched the vehicle and found approximately 104,000 fentanyl pills — 23 pounds worth — in a toolbox…