SLC Times

A federal grand jury has indicted a foreign national residing in Utah on drug charges following her arrest for allegedly distributing methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl through a drug trafficking organization in the District of Utah.

According to court documents, Leonilde Andrea Lopez Vargas, 35, of Midvale, Utah, was arrested in June 2024 after an investigation by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force that began in November 2023. On June 18, 2024, agents seized approximately 2,813 grams of fentanyl—estimated to be about 28,000 pills—along with approximately 1,648 grams of heroin and approximately 1,182.5 grams of cocaine from Vargas' residence in Midvale. In addition, agents found approximately 478 grams of methamphetamine in her vehicle.

Earlier seizures linked to Vargas included approximately 502.88 grams of heroin, 1,892.11 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 670.62 grams of fentanyl, and a digital scale from a storage unit believed to be connected to her in West Valley City.

Vargas faces charges for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. Her initial court appearance is scheduled for July 8 at the United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City.

United States Attorney Trina A. Higgins announced the indictment. The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielsen.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. PSN focuses on fostering trust within communities and supporting organizations that prevent violence while setting strategic enforcement priorities.

The investigation also falls under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which aims to dismantle high-level criminal organizations using a multi-agency approach driven by intelligence and led by prosecutors.

An indictment is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.