A Las Vegas man has been given a sentence of more than six years in prison for his involvement in a fentanyl distribution scheme. Michael Anthony Rivas, who had been charged with conspiracy to distribute the synthetic opioid, will spend 80 months behind bars, followed by a four-year term of supervised release, as per the sentencing by United States District Judge Anne R. Traum.
The prison term imposed yesterday is somewhat less than the 110 months the government had proposed. Court documents, as reported by the Department of Justice, indicate that from February to March 2023, Rivas and co-defendant Crystal Fawn Hoag were actively engaged in distributing approximately 693 grams of fentanyl. This quantity roughly translates to some 8,500 pills laced with the potent narcotic, an amount considerable, enough to draw the federal law enforcement's attention.
Authorities, during a search of Rivas and Hoag’s residence, found multiple firearms including a black Smith & Wesson, a Black Xd Springfield Arms, and a black and tan Taurus firearm, possession of which was illegal for both occupants due to prior felony convictions. Moreover, the law enforcement team discovered about 67 grams of counterfeit M30 pills suspected of containing fentanyl, and approximately 113 grams of methamphetamine.
Fentanyl is known for its extreme potency, being 80-100 times more powerful than morphine. As the Department of Justice details "only a few milligrams of this chemical compound equivalent to a few grains of table salt are enough to cause a fatal overdose" in not just adults, but children too. The enormity of the public health danger fentanyl poses is underscored by such statements, placing the fight against its illicit distribution high in the priorities of law enforcement agencies.
The sting that led to Rivas and Hoag's conviction was a cooperative effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The announcement of Rivas' sentencing was made by Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada, with Deputy Special Agent in Charge Anthony Chrysanthis representing the DEA’s Los Angeles Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Nathaniel Holland for the FBI Las Vegas Division, acknowledging the collaborative endeavor. Assistant United States Attorneys Brenna Bush and Steven Rose were credited for their work prosecuting the case.
