Nevada Federal Criminal Defense: Defending Las Vegas Drug Cases

Nevada Federal Criminal Defense: Defending Las Vegas Drug Cases

So your probably ABSOLUTELY PANICKING right now because federal agents just arrested you in Las Vegas as one of six defendants indicted for methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy and gun crimes where prosecutors are seeking life imprisonment, or maybe your facing 10 YEARS in federal prison because they found 422 grams of methamphetamine and 127 grams of fentanyl in your home across street from elementary school like Daniel Thorndal, or worse – maybe your one of five defendants charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl from June 2024 through June 2025 facing mandatory minimum of 10 years to life. Maybe they arrested you as one of two foreign nationals charged with selling drugs and unlawful possession of firearms, or there charging you with over 1,000 POUNDS of methamphetamine creating absolutely crushing exposure. Maybe your part of operation where federal agents seized 17,000 fentanyl pills in largest DEA bust in history. Or maybe your one of two Las Vegas men indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine through juvenile. Look, we get it. Your COMPLETELY TERRIFIED. And honestly? You should be! Because Daniel Thorndal got sentenced to 10 years for trafficking 422 grams meth and 127 grams fentanyl near elementary school, and District of Nevada prosecutors are systematically building multi-defendant conspiracies where 5-6 people get indicted together creating massive pressure to cooperate!

Why Does District of Nevada Prosecute So Aggressively?

Let me explain why federal drug prosecutions in Las Vegas are uniquely crushing compared to Nevada state courts. The District of Nevada has courthouses in Las Vegas (Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse) and Reno (Bruce R. Thompson Federal Courthouse) covering entire state, but Las Vegas sees overwhelming majority of federal drug prosecutions because Las Vegas sits right on Interstate 15 corridor running from California through Nevada to Utah creating critical transportation route for drugs coming from Mexico through Southern California heading to Salt Lake City, Denver, and throughout interior West. Las Vegas is also just hours from Mexican border and receives direct shipments from Sinaloa Cartel and other Mexican drug trafficking organizations.

The District of Nevada’s Narcotics and Criminal Enterprise Section prosecutes international and domestic drug trafficking organizations using federal drug trafficking, money laundering, and racketeering laws with goal to dismantle entire criminal organizations. In June 2025, six defendants got indicted for methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy and gun crimes with conspiracy allegedly running from June 2024 through June 10, 2025, and jury trial scheduled for August 11, 2025 before United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro. When federal prosecutors indict six defendants together in single conspiracy, that means they built coordinated case against entire organization using wiretaps, cooperating witnesses, controlled buys, and surveillance over months before executing takedown.

Five defendants got indicted in separate case for methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking conspiracy showing the pattern of multi-defendant prosecutions throughout District of Nevada. From about June 2024 and continuing to June 10, 2025, defendants conspired with each other to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and that 50-gram threshold triggers mandatory minimum sentence of 10 YEARS to LIFE in federal prison without parole. When your facing mandatory 10 years before any guideline calculations or enhancements, cooperation becomes only realistic way to reduce exposure to single digits.

What Makes School-Zone Trafficking So Serious?

Nevada federal cases involving drug trafficking near schools carry enhanced penalties and judges impose sentences at high end of guideline ranges because prosecutors argue trafficking near children is particularly egregious. Daniel Thorndal from Las Vegas got sentenced to 10 years in prison for trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine from his home located across street from elementary school, and prosecutors emphasized proximity to school throughout sentencing hearing. On May 6, 2022, FBI executed search warrant on residence and recovered approximately 422 GRAMS of methamphetamine and approximately 127 grams of fentanyl plus .380 caliber pistol that was possessed in furtherance of drug conspiracy.

For sentencing purposes, 422 grams of methamphetamine way exceeds the 50-gram threshold for 10-year mandatory, and 127 grams of fentanyl exceeds the 40-gram threshold for 5-year mandatory and approaches the 400-gram threshold for 10-year mandatory. When federal prosecutors can prove you trafficked near school, judges add upward departures or impose sentences at top of guideline ranges because children’s safety is paramount concern. Federal law under 21 USC 860 doubles maximum penalties for school-zone trafficking within 1,000 feet of school or playground, and while that statute has specific requirements, judges still consider school proximity as aggravating factor at sentencing.

Thorndal conspired with others to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and five grams or more of methamphetamine showing how federal prosecutors charge conspiracy based on total quantities distributed by organization not just amounts personally possessed. In addition to 10 years imprisonment, Thorndal got sentenced to four years of supervised release creating total 14-year period of federal control. When your home becomes drug trafficking hub near school, prosecutors present evidence about children walking past your residence daily, school drop-off traffic patterns, and risk of accidental exposure to drugs or violence creating devastating sentencing picture.

How Do Multi-Defendant Las Vegas Conspiracies Work?

Las Vegas federal cases frequently involve multi-defendant conspiracies where 5-6 people get charged together for distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl over months or years. Two foreign nationals unlawfully residing in United States – Jose Luis Castillo-Alvarez and Kevin Omar Cruz-Lima – made initial court appearances in May 2025 to face 12-count indictment in connection to alleged drug trafficking conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine plus unlawful possession of firearms. From September 2024 to March 27, 2025, defendants conspired with each other to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 10 grams or more of fentanyl, and cocaine.

The fact that defendants are foreign nationals unlawfully residing in United States adds immigration consequences on top of drug sentences – after serving 10-20 years in federal prison they’ll be permanently removed from United States with no chance to return legally. When prosecutors prove conspiracy involving four different drug types – heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine – that demonstrates sophisticated trafficking organization not street-level dealing, and multiple drug types create higher base offense levels through Drug Equivalency Tables where 100 grams heroin, 50 grams meth, and 10 grams fentanyl all add together to calculate total offense level.

Two Las Vegas men got indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine through juvenile showing additional charges that apply when defendants use minors in trafficking operations. Using juvenile to distribute drugs creates 2-level enhancement under sentencing guidelines plus potential separate charges under 21 USC 861 for employing persons under 18 years of age in drug operations. Federal prosecutors view using children as particularly aggravating because it corrupts minors and shields adult traffickers from detection, and judges impose harsh sentences for defendants who recruit juveniles into drug distribution.

What About 924(c) Firearms Stacking?

Nevada federal cases frequently involve 18 USC 924(c) firearms charges that create absolutely devastating mandatory minimum sentences running consecutive to drug sentences. Of the 61,678 federal cases reported to United States Sentencing Commission in fiscal year 2024, 2,522 involved convictions under 924(c), and 53.5% were convicted of drug trafficking showing how commonly guns and drugs combine to create crushing sentences. Average sentence for all 924(c) individuals was 150 MONTHS which is 12.5 years, and 88% were also convicted of another offense meaning gun sentence stacks on top of underlying drug sentence.

When six defendants got indicted for methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy and gun crimes in June 2025, those gun charges likely include 924(c) allegations that firearms were possessed in furtherance of drug trafficking creating mandatory 5 years for simple possession, 7 years for brandishing, or 10 years for discharging. These sentences run CONSECUTIVE to drug trafficking sentence meaning they stack on top, so if drug conspiracy gets you 10-15 years under guidelines and 924(c) adds mandatory 5-10 years consecutive, your looking at 15-25 years total before any other enhancements.

Daniel Thorndal’s .380 caliber pistol recovered during search warrant was possessed in furtherance of drug conspiracy, and while specific 924(c) charge details aren’t clear from public records, firearms possession during trafficking operations almost always results in separate gun charges that add years to sentences. Defendants convicted of violating 924(c) in Nevada are not eligible for probation, and prison sentence must run consecutively with any other prison sentence imposed creating no possibility that sentences run concurrently to reduce total time.

How Do 1,000-Pound Methamphetamine Cases Get Prosecuted?

Nevada federal cases sometimes involve absolutely crushing drug quantities that trigger life-destroying sentences. Nevada resident got returned to United States from Mexico in connection with federal drug charges involving over 1,000 POUNDS of methamphetamine showing the Mexico-to-Nevada pipeline where traffickers coordinate directly with Mexican cartels to import massive quantities. One thousand pounds is approximately 454 KILOGRAMS of methamphetamine which way exceeds the 5-kilogram threshold for 10-year mandatory and the 50-kilogram threshold for 20-year mandatory, putting defendant at base offense levels calling for life imprisonment even with no criminal history.

For sentencing purposes, methamphetamine mandatory minimums are 5 grams pure or 50 grams mixture for 5 years, and 50 grams pure or 500 grams mixture for 10 years, but when conspiracies involve hundreds of kilograms distributed over months or years, every member responsible for reasonably foreseeable quantities faces mandatory 20 years to life. The fact that defendant fled to Mexico and had to be returned shows international scope of operation and that defendant had connections to hide in Mexico suggesting cartel involvement creating guideline enhancements for importation and transnational operations.

In April 2025, three people including two previously-deported undocumented immigrants faced charges for allegedly working with Mexican drug cartel to sell deadly fentanyl across Las Vegas valley, and over course of four controlled buys beginning in October 2024, federal agents seized more than 17,000 PRESSED FENTANYL PILLS plus other drugs in what DEA called one of largest fentanyl busts in agency’s history. Seventeen thousand pills at approximately 2 milligrams of fentanyl per pill equals approximately 34 grams of pure fentanyl, but federal prosecutors may calculate based on total pill weight creating much higher quantities for sentencing purposes.

What About Death-Resulting Enhancements?

Las Vegas federal prosecutors are aggressively filing fentanyl trafficking charges because overdose deaths are skyrocketing and prosecutors can prove death-resulting enhancements. When federal prosecutors can prove someone died from fentanyl you distributed, that’s death-resulting enhancement under 21 USC 841(b)(1)(C) charging mandatory 20 YEARS TO LIFE regardless of drug quantities involved. The 17,000 fentanyl pills seized in largest DEA bust suggests those pills were being distributed throughout Las Vegas creating high probability some users overdosed, and prosecutors investigate every fentanyl overdose death to trace pills back to sources.

Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine, and just two milligrams can be lethal dose. Counterfeit pills labeled “M30” or other prescription markings are particularly dangerous because buyers think they’re getting pharmaceutical oxycodone but actually get fentanyl creating unexpected overdoses. When your organization distributed thousands of fentanyl pills and prosecutors prove through toxicology reports, text messages, and witness testimony that overdose victim obtained pills from your network, your facing life imprisonment even if you never personally met victim.

Las Vegas man got sentenced to 10 years in prison for distributing thousands of fentanyl pills in separate January 2024 case showing the pattern of decade-plus sentences for large-scale fentanyl distribution even without death-resulting enhancements. Federal prosecutors in District of Nevada work with DEA, FBI, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, and Clark County Coroner’s Office to link overdose deaths to trafficking organizations, and every fentanyl case carries potential for death-resulting charges if investigators find connections to fatal overdoses.

What Defenses Work in Nevada Federal Cases?

Even though Nevada federal prosecutions are aggressive with multi-defendant conspiracies and crushing mandatory minimums, there are defenses that can work if you have experienced federal criminal defense counsel. Challenging your role in conspiracy and drug quantities attributable to you is critical because just because conspiracy distributed 1,000 pounds or 17,000 pills doesn’t automatically mean YOUR responsible for entire amount if you were low-level courier or street dealer. Prosecutors have to prove your knowledge of conspiracy’s scope and that massive quantities distributed by Mexican cartel sources or organizational leaders were reasonably foreseeable to you based on your participation.

We’ve successfully argued our client was minor participant with limited knowledge of organizational scope, reducing attributable quantity from amounts triggering 20-year mandatories down to amounts qualifying for 10-year mandatory or safety valve below mandatories. Minor participant reduction under sentencing guidelines can reduce offense level by 4 levels which translates to roughly 3-5 years reduction, and when combined with acceptance of responsibility and cooperation can reduce 20-year exposure down to 7-10 years.

Challenging firearms “in furtherance of” drug trafficking is absolutely critical when facing 5-10 year mandatory consecutive under 924(c). Prosecutors have to prove gun facilitated drug trafficking not just that gun and drugs were in same location. If firearm was kept at home for protection in Las Vegas neighborhood and was not present during drug transactions or used to protect stash houses, that undermines “in furtherance” element. We’ve defeated 924(c) charges by showing guns served lawful self-defense purposes saving clients from 5-10 years mandatory consecutive, which when combined with drug mandatory minimums can reduce 15-25 year exposure down to 10 years or less.

Cooperation and substantial assistance agreements are absolutely critical in Nevada multi-defendant cases because when 5-6 defendants are charged together, prosecutors need cooperators to testify about Mexican cartel sources, organizational structure, drug transportation methods, and firearms sources. Federal prosecutors in District of Nevada highly value information about California suppliers, Mexico connections, money laundering methods, and interstate trafficking routes. We’ve negotiated 5K1.1 substantial assistance departures where defendants facing 10-20 year guidelines ended up with 5-8 years because they cooperated early before other defendants filled cooperation slots.

Why Nevada Federal Cases Require Specialized Defense?

Look, defending federal cases in Las Vegas requires understanding of how District of Nevada prosecutors build multi-defendant conspiracies involving Mexican cartels, knowledge of 924(c) firearms stacking that creates consecutive sentences, and familiarity with specific practices of judges in Las Vegas federal court that most criminal defense lawyers simply don’t have. Most Nevada criminal defense lawyers handle state court drug cases where penalties max out at 20 years under Nevada statutes, but federal mandatory minimums for 50-gram quantities call for 10 years to life, federal 924(c) charges add 5-10 years consecutive, and federal conspiracy law makes you responsible for entire organization’s drug quantities if they were reasonably foreseeable.

When your facing charges in 6-defendant Las Vegas conspiracy, or case involving 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine, or 17,000 fentanyl pills in DEA’s largest bust, or trafficking near elementary school creating school-zone enhancements, you need lawyer who understands federal conspiracy law and how to challenge drug quantity attributions. We’ve defended Nevada federal cases in Las Vegas and Reno involving Mexican cartel connections, multi-defendant meth and fentanyl conspiracies, firearms stacking prosecutions, and death-resulting enhancements. We understand how District of Nevada prosecutors prove cartel connections through wiretaps and cooperating witnesses, and we know which Nevada federal judges are receptive to minor participant reductions.

We’ve successfully negotiated cooperation agreements that reduced 20-year exposures to single digits for defendants who cooperated before indictment. We’ve challenged 924(c) allegations through evidence that firearms served legitimate self-defense purposes not drug trafficking. We’ve litigated Fourth Amendment issues involving warrantless searches and surveillance. We’ve won safety valve departures for defendants with minimal criminal histories allowing courts to sentence below 10-year mandatory minimums saving clients from decades in federal prison.

Call us RIGHT NOW at 212-300-5196

6-defendant conspiracy – 1,000 pounds meth – 17,000 fentanyl pills – School-zone trafficking – 924(c) stacking
Former federal prosecutors – District of Nevada – Available 24/7

Don’t talk to FBI, DEA, Las Vegas Police, or federal task force agents without experienced Nevada federal criminal defense counsel! If your one of 5-6 defendants charged together, if 1,000 pounds meth creates life exposure, if 17,000 fentanyl pills were seized in DEA’s largest bust, if you trafficked near elementary school triggering enhanced penalties, if 924(c) firearms charges threaten 5-10 years consecutive, if Mexican cartel connections prove transnational trafficking – call us IMMEDIATELY before making statements! Every word you say gets used to prove conspiracy membership, attribute massive drug quantities to you, establish firearms were in furtherance, and connect you to Mexican cartels. With 10-year sentences for school-zone trafficking, life exposure for 1,000-pound conspiracies, and 150-month average sentences for 924(c) convictions, you need lawyers who’ve defended hundreds of Las Vegas federal drug trafficking cases! Call us NOW!