DENVER — A Denver man has been sentenced to 176 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin.
United States District Court Judge Raymond Moore sentenced Omar Rivas-Saenz, 31, on Dec. 17.
According to a plea agreement and court documents, from May 2019 to September 2019, Rivas-Saenz worked for a drug trafficking organization that engaged in local distribution and interstate transportation of large quantities of illegal drugs sourced from Mexico.
Rivas-Saenz was arrested May 16, 2019, after authorities found him with roughly seven pounds of methamphetamine, as well as more than $6,000 in cash, according to court filings. During a search of his home, authorities say they found several firearms, including one with a defaced serial number, roughly $3,000 in cash, 67 grams of heroin and 400 fentanyl pills.
Court filings show Rivas-Saenz failed to appear for his scheduled court hearings.
Six days after his arrest, he delivered a pound of 98% pure methamphetamine to a confidential informant, authorities say. He then assisted in the coordination of the distribution of 10 pounds of methamphetamine and participated in the redistribution of 46- to 50-pound loads of methamphetamine, according to court documents.
On September 12, 2019, officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement attempted to arrest Rivas-Saenz on a federal warrant. Authorities say Rivas-Saenz's vehicle collided with police vehicles. Rivas-Saenz took off on foot. After a chase through a residential area, authorities say he was taken into custody.
“Armed drug dealers who run from law enforcement create a particularly dangerous threat to the safety of our communities,” said United States Attorney Cole Finegan. “Our office is working with law enforcement partners to make Colorado a safer place by prosecuting these dangerous criminals.”
“This is someone that posed a blatant threat through his membership in a transnational crime organization,” said Ryan Spradlin, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Denver. “HSI will continue to work with all of our law enforcement partners to prevent criminals and the organizations they represent from flooding our communities with illicit narcotics and weapons.”