PHOENIX, Ariz. – Two Arizona men are facing federal charges after authorities seized approximately 700,000 fentanyl-laced pills concealed in roofing materials and a Tucson residence.
Carlos Rene Montes, 32, of Tucson, and Miguel Angel Sesma, 30, a legal permanent resident from Mexico living in Phoenix, were charged Tuesday with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, according to a federal criminal complaint.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force (EVDETF) initiated the investigation on March 10, 2025, after observing Montes drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee into a store parking lot in Phoenix. Investigators say Montes parked next to a white Ford F250 with Sonora, Mexico, license plates and transferred factory-sealed packages of roofing shingles into the truck’s bed.
After Montes left the scene, authorities conducted traffic stops on both vehicles. A Mesa Police Department canine unit alerted officers to narcotics in the truck bed of the Ford F250, leading to a search that uncovered approximately 52 kilograms (114 pounds) of blue M30 pills containing fentanyl. The pills were hidden inside the roofing shingles, according to investigators.
Following his arrest, Montes reportedly told investigators he had additional drugs at his Tucson residence. A subsequent search of the home uncovered another 14.68 kilograms (32 pounds) of fentanyl-laced pills.
If convicted, the charge of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute More than 400 Grams of Fentanyl carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million.
The investigation was led by the DEA’s East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force, which includes officers from the Mesa Police Department, Gilbert Police Department, Apache Junction Police Department, Salt River Police Department, and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Zander of the District of Arizona is prosecuting the case.
