Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 8+ Years in Federal Prison

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A U.S. District judge sentenced an Arizona man to 100 months imprisonment after he admitted to trafficking more than 1,300 grams combined of fentanyl and heroin into southern Illinois.

Jimmy Carrasco, 28, of Glendale, Arizona, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Following his prison sentence, he will serve three years of supervised release.

“May this sentence serve as a warning for drug traffickers planning trips through Illinois—law enforcement is waiting for you,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.

“Trafficking in fentanyl and heroin is trafficking in death and ISP will root out and pursue drug traffickers with everything we’ve got,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly.

According to court documents, officers with the Illinois State Police conducted a traffic stop on Carrasco’s vehicle on Interstate 70 in Madison County on Oct. 5, 2021. During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered pills containing 771 grams of fentanyl and 616 grams of heroin.

Co-defendant Luciano Gomezllanos-Martinez, 45, originally from Mexico, was a passenger in Carrasco’s vehicle at the time of the traffic stop. Gomezllanos-Martinez pleaded guilty to federal drug possession and illegal reentry charges and was sentenced to 46 months imprisonment on Jan. 18, 2023.

DEA led the investigation with assistance from the Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Kapsak prosecuted the case.