Dallas pair sentenced to 15 years for distributing fentanyl
DALLAS - Two Dallas residents were each sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fentanyl drug charges.
What's new:
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Christle Ruiz and Ricardo Flores both pleaded guilty in October 2024 to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Last week, they were each sentenced to 188 months in federal prison.
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The backstory:
Federal prosecutors said 22-year-old Ruiz and 29-year-old Flores lived together and distributed fentanyl from a home on Ezekiel Avenue in Dallas.
They allegedly used a social media account to advertise the sale of the pills for $10 each.
Officers raided the home in April of 2023 after prosecutors said the pair received a shipment of 50,000 fentanyl pills.
Ruiz was attempting to flush some of the pills down the toilet when the officers executed their search warrant, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
What they're saying:
"As we pointed out to the court during the defendants’ sentencing hearings, tens of thousands of tragic overdose deaths occur each year due to fentanyl, and those who distribute it know exactly what they are doing," said Acting United States Attorney Nancy Larson. "The staggering amount of fentanyl in this case would have caused far-reaching devastation to our families and community, but for the tremendous efforts of our law enforcement partners in apprehending these defendants and keeping this deadly poison off the streets. We are resolved to relentlessly pursue these offenders and seek the lengthy prison sentences they deserve."
"This sentence sends a clear message that those who profit from poisoning our communities with fentanyl will be held accountable," said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in Dallas. "Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has caused thousands of overdose deaths and devastated communities across the nation. The investigation and sentence handed down in this case reflects an unwavering resolve by law enforcement to protect public safety and pursue justice for the victims of the opioid epidemic."
The Source: The information in this story was provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas.