COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Columbus man has been sentenced to more than 15 years for his role in a drug ring involving more than 75 pounds of fentanyl.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, 29-year-old Lucio Munoz was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison.
Munoz pleaded guilty in June 2021 to conspiring to possess and possessing with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.
In February 2021, law enforcement seized approximately 66 pounds of fentanyl from Munoz’s vehicle.
Munoz and two other men, 20-year-old Maximus Dominguez and 23-year-old Rene Gaytan, were charged and arrested on Feb. 3, 2021.
According to court documents, the men were conducting illicit narcotics operations from the Red Roof Inn on South State Street in Westerville and from a residence on Chesford Road in Columbus.
Law enforcement were conducting surveillance on both locations on Feb. 2, 2021 and stopped Dominquez for a traffic stop on Interstate 270.
A narcotics K9 alerted to the presence of drugs and officers found two pounds of fentanyl in the vehicle.
Authorities say Munoz attempted to flee the residence on Chesford Road later that evening with bulk amounts of narcotics.
A traffic stop was initiated but Munoz failed to yield. The vehicle pursuit ended on foot with Munoz being apprehended.
According to court records, agents also found approximately 17 pounds of fentanyl with Gaytan in the room at the Red Roof Inn.
Agents also discovered a storage locker in Columbus where a duffel bag of vacuum-sealed money was found.
