California Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Flooding North Carolina with Deadly Poison

RALEIGH, N.C. - A federal judge sentenced Raul Ramirez, 44, to 15 years in federal prison for supplying hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to Raleigh drug dealers. On September 15, 2025, Ramirez, also known as "Ralph," pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

"Cartels and out-of-state criminals have remorselessly flooded Eastern North Carolina with poison for far too long. They piped hundreds of thousands of deadly fentanyl pills directly into our backyards and schools, destroying families and ruining lives. For what? A few measly bucks. Not under my watch. Law and order wins every time. We caught this high-level bad hombre, exposed his network, and secured a 15-year federal prison sentence. If you bring death and destruction to Eastern North Carolina, we will track you down, lock you up, and ensure you pay a very heavy price," said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

A multi-agency investigation that began in January 2022 revealed that Ramirez supplied hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills to a Raleigh-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing 77 pounds of pressed fentanyl pills. DTO members routinely flew to California to buy fentanyl pills from Ramirez, and then shipped them back to North Carolina. Investigators used controlled purchases, search warrants, interstate package seizures, electronic surveillance, and cooperator interviews to unravel the operation. Even though authorities arrested several dealers possessing thousands of fentanyl pills repeatedly during the investigation, Ramirez kept shamelessly selling pills right up until his arrest.

"Thanks to a collaborative effort, a cross-country network bringing deadly drugs into our communities has been wiped out," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. "We greatly improve the safety of our communities when careless and dangerous drug traffickers are caught and put out of business for good."

Ellis Boyle U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced the sentence after the Honorable U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III issued it. ATF, the Raleigh Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service collaborated on the multi-year investigation.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North CarolinaLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. or on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-200-D.