Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell has confirmed the sentencing of Carlos Pacheco for numerous charges including the sale of fentanyl, weapon misconduct, and evading law enforcement. In a crackdown on the spread of fentanyl, Pachero received a significant prison term of more than 17 years after being convicted in three separate cases dating back to 2021.
"Fentanyl is a poison, and if you spread it in our communities, we will prosecute you to the fullest extent allowed by law," Mitchell said, signaling a zero-tolerance approach to narcotics distribution. Pacheco's criminal activities came to a head, on January 1 when he was apprehended with a large quantity of fentanyl pills and an AR-15 rifle at Luke Airforce Base. Despite initially escaping custody during a physical altercation with military police, he left behind crucial evidence, including over 1,000 fentanyl pills, and $2,000 in cash. The incidents of July 25 and December 21 further demonstrated Pacheco's continuous involvement in the fentanyl trade, with law enforcement finding him in compromised or suspicious situations leading to pursuit and, ultimately, his capture.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, Pacheco has been found guilty on multiple felony counts across his trials, including Sale or Transportation of Narcotic Drugs, Misconduct Involving Weapons, and Unlawful Flight from Law Enforcement. Pacheco's status as a prohibited possessor due to prior offenses added severity to the weapons charge.
Despite the broad array of charges leading to his incarceration, it was the fentanyl-related offenses that anchored the prosecution's case. "By taking a tough-on-crime approach now, we can stop this scourge before it overwhelms our neighborhoods," Mitchell emphasized, underlining the commitment to stem the tide of an opioid epidemic that continues to afflict communities across the nation. The detailed sentencing information for Pacheco's convictions is documented in three separate orders of confinement released by the County Attorney's Office.
Pacheco now faces a lengthy prison sentence.
