A Las Vegas man has been sentenced to federal prison after authorities discovered approximately 30,000 fentanyl pills during a traffic stop in Utah.
Christopher Gerard Ruiz, 42, was sentenced to over seven years in prison by a federal judge for possession with intent to distribute, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Utah announced.
The case began in 2023 when a Utah state trooper stopped Ruiz’s vehicle on Interstate 15 in southern Utah. The driver, Rachel Marie Aponas, admitted to having methamphetamine in the car, prompting a search by troopers.
Inside the trunk, officers discovered a small lunch cooler containing packages of blue M-30 pills that field-tested positive for fentanyl. The Utah state crime laboratory later confirmed the presence of the powerful synthetic opioid.
Both Ruiz and Aponas were arrested following the discovery. Three children who were traveling with them were removed from the situation by the Department of Child and Family Services.
Aponas previously received her sentence of 28 months, with credit for time served, in May of last year.
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