SELLS, Ariz. — An Arizona man was arrested July 1 and charged by complaint with knowingly and intentionally possessing with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and are conducting the investigation.
The complaint alleges that, on July 1, David Quintero-Mascareno, 20, of Glendale, presented himself for inspection at the Port of Entry in Lukeville, driving a gray Dodge Ram towing a trailer loaded with a utility terrain vehicle. Quintero-Mascareno claimed he was returning to the United States from Puerto Penasco, Sonora, Mexico, and gave a negative customs declaration for contraband. A CBP canine trained to detect narcotics alerted to the utility trailer.
CBP officers found approximately 234 packages containing blue pills imprinted with “M30” concealed in the trailer’s floorboards and rails. A representative sample of the pills field-tested positive for the properties of fentanyl. The packages weighed a total of almost 460 kilograms.
A conviction for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, a fine of $10,000,000, or both, and a maximum term of five years supervised release.
A complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona in Tucson handled the prosecution.
About HSI
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce consists of over 10,000 employees, assigned to 235 offices within the United States and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI's international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.