United States Drug Enforcement Administration

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Daniel J. Schmidt, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration-Indianapolis, and Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress for the Southern District of Indiana announced that Javier Moreno-Garibaldi, 38, of Mexico, has been sentenced to five and a half years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of over 400 grams of fentanyl. 

According to court documents, in May 2023, the DEA began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating in Mexicali, Mexico, trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine through California. During the investigation, law enforcement officers intercepted thousands of fentanyl pills shipped or transported by the drug traffickers into Southern Indiana and Western Kentucky.

As part of the investigation, undercover law enforcement officers arranged to purchase 60,000 fentanyl pills from an unknown supplier based in Mexicali, Mexico. The source of supply sent a series of text messages discussing the arrival of the courier at an Evansville hotel, how to handle the money and counting of pills, and requiring $120,000 and a $2,500 delivery fee. 

On Sept. 4, 2023, Javier Moreno-Garibaldi arrived at a Holiday Inn in Evansville driving a Honda SUV with California plates. The undercover officer met with Moreno-Garibaldi and agreed to go to a safehouse to count the pills and the $120,000 owed for the drugs. Moreno-Garibaldi put a dog kennel box full of pills into the undercover officer’s car and was arrested without incident. A search of the box revealed five separate bags containing a large amount of counterfeit “M-30” pills containing fentanyl. The field weight of the seized pills was 15.7 pounds (7.064 kilograms), or approximately 70,000 pills.

At the time of his arrest, Moreno-Garibaldi was in the United States unlawfully. 

“Every overdose, addiction, and life lost to fentanyl is a tragedy that devastates our families, friends, and communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Childress. “These dangerous drugs are pouring into our neighborhoods in staggering amounts, driven by Mexican cartels and enabled by traffickers and dealers across the country. Our office remains committed to working alongside the DEA, Evansville Police Department, Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and Owensboro Police Department to aggressively investigate and prosecute those involved in these deadly networks.” 

“Without a doubt, lives were saved by this seizure of 70,000 fentanyl-laced M30 pills.  Every day we see the destruction and death caused by this illicit drug.  DEA is committed to targeting and destroying drug trafficking organizations who continue to attack our communities and distribute fentanyl in our streets,” said Acting ASAC Schmidt. 

The DEA, Evansville Police Department, Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and Owensboro Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren M. Wheatley, who prosecuted this 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.