Family members charged with delivering 40,000 fentanyl pills to undercover agent

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – The federal government has charged three men and a woman for allegedly selling an undercover agent 40,000 fentanyl pills and nearly a kilo of fentanyl powder.

Friday’s indictment in U.S. District Court for the District of Southern California alleges Ruben Isaac Romo, his son Ruben Romo Cervantes, daughter Kimberly Romo Cervantes and Arturo Eduardo Villegas delivered drugs from an unidentified trafficker to a Homeland Security Investigations agent posing as a buyer.

The alleged transactions took place over a five-week period last October and November in San Diego.

The agent learned of the trafficker through investigation and called him to arrange for the first purchase of fentanyl pills. He was told to call a Mexican cellphone number and be at a designated location. Romo, his son and daughter showed up in a white Honda Civic, exchanged 20,000 pills for $8,000 cash and drove back to Mexico, a federal complaint alleges.

The agent next arranged for the purchase of one kilogram of fentanyl powder which allegedly was delivered at a warehouse by Romo, his son and a man later identified as Villegas. The Romos again drove back to Mexico after receiving payment, records show. The agent testified that his “kilo” (2.2 pounds) weighed only 860 grams (1.9 pounds).  

The last transaction took place in November and involved another 20,000 fentanyl pills. Romo and his daughter were present that time at a meeting outside a cellphone store, also in San Diego, the complaint alleges.

The Romos were arrested April 23 in San Diego. Villegas was taken into custody a day later. Court documents don’t identify the original “source of supply” (trafficker) or say whether he is in custody.

The four suspects in custody were indicted on multiple counts of distribution of fentanyl, aiding and abetting.