Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced to 60 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking Crimes in the District of Utah

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced to five years of imprisonment and four years of supervised release after he admitted to bringing heroin and fentanyl into the District of Utah for profit.

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Dale A. Kimball comes after Miguel Mario Soto De Santiago, 25, residing illegally in Bluffdale, Utah, pleaded guilty on May 5, 2026, to possession of heroin with intent to distribute. In addition to his term of imprisonment, upon his release, Soto De Santiago will be remanded to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings.

According to court documents and statements made at Soto De Santiago's change of plea and sentencing hearings, on February 19, 2025, he possessed 5027 grams of fentanyl and 1103 grams of heroin. Soto De Santiago admitted he brought the fentanyl and heroin to Utah for distribution in exchange for money. See prior press release: Mexican National Facing Drug Trafficking Charges.

"Anyone who brings heroin, fentanyl, or other dangerous drugs into our community is on a direct path to federal prison - and, in this case, deportation," said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah. "My office maintains zero tolerance for drug traffickers, and we will prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law."

"Every drug trafficker taken off our streets is one less threat to our communities," said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. "This sentencing is a direct result of strong partnerships and a shared commitment to removing dangerous drugs from our streets and protecting the people we serve."

The case was investigated by the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF), consisting of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, and the Davis Metro Narcotic Strike Force (DMNSF).

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.