A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine as part of a drug trafficking scheme, authorities announced Monday.

Keivin Crosswell-Cervantes of Mexico was sentenced recently after pleading guilty last year, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Arizona district.

On Sept. 20, Carlos Alberto Castro-Ruiz, 26, of Phoenix, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison in the drug conspiracy case, followed by the sentencing Nov. 13 of Alexander Ortega-Islas, 22. The Phoenix man was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

The three co-conspirators all admitted that they delivered approximately 400,000 blue fentanyl pills, approximately 20,000 multi-colored fentanyl pills and approximately 25 pounds of methamphetamine to undercover officers in September 2022, the release stated.

Law enforcement officers also seized an AK-47-style pistol, a .45-caliber Kimber 1911 semi-automatic pistol with two magazines and a .45-caliber FN semi-automatic pistol.

The prosecution was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation.

We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.