LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A man has been arrested and charged in a federal criminal complaint alleging he possessed with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine after law enforcement discovered approximately 14 kilograms (30 pounds) of suspected fentanyl and more than 307 kilograms (677 pounds) of suspected methamphetamine during a traffic stop in Lincoln County, Nevada.
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Traffic stop led to discovery
According to allegations in the criminal complaint, a deputy with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Oct. 13, 2026, of a pickup truck driven by Francisco Joel Garcia Farias, 26, on U.S. Highway 93 near Ash Springs, Nevada, after observing the vehicle traveling above the posted speed limit.
During the stop, a trained narcotics detection K-9 alerted to the presence of suspected controlled substances in the vehicle.
A subsequent search of the pickup truck revealed 13 large storage totes containing numerous vacuum-sealed packages of suspected narcotics. Law enforcement officers recovered approximately 187 packages containing a white crystalline substance weighing a total of approximately 307.22 kilograms, along with 13 brick-shaped packages weighing approximately 14 kilograms. Field testing of selected samples returned positive results for methamphetamine and fentanyl, respectively.
Charges filed
Garcia Farias is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture containing methamphetamine.
If convicted, Garcia Farias faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment on each count, followed by five years of supervised release.
Officials respond
“Anyone who plans to release a deadly drug like fentanyl onto American streets will be prosecuted,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Thanks to the diligent work of federal and local law enforcement, the lethal drugs allegedly possessed by this illegal alien are no longer endangering the lives of countless Americans. The Department of Justice will continue rooting out illegal drug trafficking networks and keeping American neighborhoods safe.”
“The massive scale of this seizure underscores the staggering volume of illicit narcotics flowing into our communities from transnational criminal organizations,” said Sigal Chattah, First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.
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