A Salem, Oregon, resident, originally from Mexico, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl and other illegal drugs. Leonel Covarrubias Hernandez, 48, received his sentence on Monday, and it includes an additional five years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon.
Investigators, as part of a larger drug trafficking probe, fingered Covarrubias as a narcotics supplier in the Oregon area. Between August and December 2022. Several controlled purchases were conducted in which Covarrubias distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills, which were laced with fentanyl, as reported by court documents.
The investigation culminated in a December 27, 2022, traffic stop involving Covarrubias and an alleged accomplice. This stop led to the seizure of counterfeit fentanyl pills, over $11,000, and a firearm from their vehicle. On the same day, officers discovered a significant cache of drugs at Covarrubias's residence, including 29 pounds of methamphetamine, 11 pounds of fentanyl, 12 pounds of cocaine, and two pounds of heroin, alongside 24 firearms, a 3D printer, and an additional $43,000 in cash.
Covarrubias entered a guilty plea for the charge of possessing fentanyl to distribute it on November 18, 2024. The FBI and the Salem Police Department spearheaded the investigation leading to his conviction, securing an ending to his role in fentanyl distribution, as outlined by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Chinwuba.
