A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City indicted two Mexican nationals residing illegally in the United States on April 24, following a major drug seizure involving nearly 100,000 fentanyl pills and other narcotics. The indictment charges Eder Montoya-Rosales, also known as Jesus Tadeo Gonzalez Estrada, and Nazario De Jesus Del Campo Perez with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin, as well as reentry of a previously removed alien.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat large-scale drug trafficking operations that impact public safety across Utah. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah enforces federal laws to protect residents and promote community safety according to its official website.
Court documents allege that from February 2026, agents with the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force investigated Montoya-Rosales, Perez, and others believed to be distributing narcotics in Utah. On April 8, multiple search warrants were executed at residences and vehicles associated with the defendants. Agents reportedly seized about 9,748 grams of suspected fentanyl (about 97,000 pills), over 1,300 grams of heroin, methamphetamine, cash, paraphernalia from Perez’s residence; approximately 184 grams of fentanyl (1,800 pills), additional heroin and methamphetamine from Montoya-Rosales’s vehicle; and small amounts of drugs plus currency from his residence. Both men have been previously removed from the United States—Montoya-Rosales most recently on October 1, 2024; Perez on several occasions including March 2014 and November 2024.
Their initial court appearance is scheduled for April 24 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City before a U.S. Magistrate Judge.
First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak announced the indictment. The investigation was led by agents from both FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force and Homeland Security Task Force with support from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielsen is prosecuting the case.
These prosecutions are part of an initiative under Executive Order 14159 aimed at dismantling criminal cartels operating within U.S borders through coordinated law enforcement action among agencies such as Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms (ATF), FBI, DEA—and prosecuted by the U.S Attorney’s Office for Utah.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office operates under the Department of Justice according to its official website, covers all counties statewide—including national parks and Indian reservations—and maintains offices in Salt Lake City and St. George according to its official website. It employs about eighty-five staff members including forty-five assistant attorneys according to its official website.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.